MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. : Argentina claimed their record 16th Copa America title by defeating Colombia 1-0 on Sunday night, despite a second-half injury to Lionel Messi. Lautaro Martínez scored the winning goal in the 112th minute.
Messi appeared to injure his leg in the 64th minute and was visibly upset, crying on the bench. Martínez later ran to comfort Messi after his decisive goal helped Argentina secure the championship.
The match, which started 1 hour and 22 minutes late due to crowd issues at Hard Rock Stadium, saw Argentina win their third major title in a row following the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup. They matched Spain’s record of winning the 2008 and 2012 European Championships around the 2010 World Cup.
Argentina also ended Colombia’s 28-game unbeaten run that had lasted since February 2022.
Martínez, who came on in the 97th minute, scored from a perfect pass by Giovani Lo Celso. He fired a shot past the Colombia goalkeeper, Camilo Vargas, for his 29th international goal and a tournament-high fifth.
Messi, making what could be his last Copa America appearance at age 37, had one goal in the tournament. He was injured in the first half but continued playing until he was forced off after injuring his ankle. His frustration was evident as he threw his boot and walked off the field with a swollen ankle.
The match’s start was delayed from 8 p.m. to 9:22 p.m. due to crowd control problems outside the stadium. There were issues with fans breaching security and climbing fences, causing confusion over ticketing.
Colombia was aggressive early on, forcing Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to make several saves. However, Argentina became more threatening in the second half. Nicolás Tagliafico had a goal disallowed for offside, and Nicolás González was stopped by Vargas.
The game was affected by a heavily watered pitch after a halftime show by Colombian pop star Shakira, which led to an extended break.
FACEBOOK COMMENTS