Argentina Wins Back-to-Back Copa América Titles with Dramatic Extra-Time Victory over Colombia
Lautaro Martinez Scores Winning Goal After Messi Leaves Game with Injury
Argentina vs Colombia Argentina secured back-to-back Copa América championships and their third consecutive major tournament win on Sunday night, defeating Colombia 1-0 in extra time. Lautaro Martinez, who came on as a substitute in the 97th minute, emerged as the hero for Argentina with a goal in the 112th minute.
Martinez Takes Center Stage
Argentina vs Colombia Martinez’s strike was his fifth of the competition, putting him at the top of the scorers’ list. Remarkably, three of his goals came after entering matches as a substitute. Argentina played a significant portion of the game without Lionel Messi due to the extra time period following a scoreless regulation.
Messi Suffers Injury, Tears Up on Bench
Messi exited the game in the 65th minute after going down while chasing the ball. He seemed to recognize the severity of the injury immediately, and Nicolas Gonzalez was quickly brought in as a replacement. Messi limped off the field without his right shoe and went straight to the bench, where he became emotional, possibly fearing this could be his final major tournament appearance for Argentina.
The seriousness of Messi’s ankle injury was evident to viewers at home as television cameras zoomed in on the swollen joint at the start of extra time.
Emotional Farewells
Shortly after Martinez’s goal, Angel Di Maria was subbed out for Nicolas Otamendi in the 117th minute. The match marked Di Maria’s final game for Argentina, and he too was emotional after leaving the pitch. Upon reaching the Argentina bench, Di Maria shared a hug with a smiling Messi.
Argentina Extends Trophy Haul
This victory marks Argentina’s 16th Copa América title, adding to their triumphs in 2021 and the 2022 World Cup. The 2021 Copa América win against Brazil was the first major tournament win of the Messi era. Argentina followed that up with a penalty shootout victory over France in the World Cup Final, potentially capping off a legendary international career for Messi, Argentina vs Colombia widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever.
Despite not retiring from international duty after the World Cup, Messi’s impact on Sunday’s game was limited. He struggled to make a significant difference and briefly went down with another injury during a tackle in the first half.
Colombia Loses Third Final
Colombia ended the match with more possession and shots on goal, but Argentina posed a greater threat throughout most of the game. Sunday marked Colombia’s third Copa América final appearance, where they sought their second title. They lost in their first attempt in 1975 and won the tournament as hosts in 2001.
Security Concerns Delay Kickoff
The start of the match was delayed for over an hour due to chaos at the gates and concourses of Hard Rock Stadium. The lack of a proper perimeter around the stadium led to fans crowding the gates hours before the game, many seemingly without tickets. This resulted in chaotic scenes throughout the stadium. Tournament organizers initially responded by closing the gates to everyone. However, shortly before kickoff, they made the decision to open the gates and forego ticket scanning altogether.
CONCACAF Clarifies Involvement
During the match, the Confederation of North, Argentina vs Colombiav Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) made it clear that they were not involved in organizing the Copa América, which is run by South America’s governing body, CONMEBOL