(EFE) – Argentina will play the final of the Copa América on Saturday against Brazil after winning this Tuesday 3-2 in the penalty shootout against Colombia, equalizing 1-1 in 90 minutes, thanks to a brilliant performance by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who saved three pitches.
Lautaro Martínez scored in the seventh minute after being assisted by Messi, one of the figures of the match.
Luis Díaz equalized in the 61st minute after a great assist from Edwin Cardona.
‘Draw’ Martínez, from the English Aston Villa, was the hero of the penalty shootout when he saved three to Dávinson Sánchez, Yerry Mina and Edwin Cardona.
For Argentina only Rodrigo de Paul failed, who sent his launch over the top.
Messi only needed three minutes to get rid of three Colombians on the right wing of the attack and send a cross that Lautaro Martínez almost changed for a goal.
Argentina continued with the pressure and four minutes later Giovani Lo Celso played long for Messi, who controlled and assisted Martinez inside the area, who with a first-class right hand made it 1-0.
At 36, a shot by Wilmar Barrios from outside the area with a goal goal deflected in Lo Celso, hit the post and went over the baseline.
Soon after, a header from Mina almost became the tying goal, but the ball hit the crossbar.
At 43 minutes, David Ospina had a wonderful reaction to deflect a header from Nicolás González, which was inches from being a goal.
Reinaldo Rueda kicked the board at half-time and made three modifications: forward Yimmi Chará, midfielder Edwin Cardona and defender Frank Fabra entered in place of Rafael Borré, Gustavo Cuéllar and William Tesillo.
Scaloni made a modification: the entry of right-back Gonzalo Montiel by Nahuel Molina.
In the first minutes, Colombia was superior and had the clearest goal plays, but could not convert due to lack of precision in the definition and thanks to the efforts of the Argentine defenders.
Half an hour from the end, Rueda sent forward Miguel Borja to the field, instead of Duván Zapata.
At 61 minutes, Cardona quickly took a free kick from his own field and distractedly grabbed the Argentine defense. The midfielder looked long for Díaz, who overflowed on the left wing of the attack and defined almost without angle and falling before the departure of Martínez to make it 1-1.
At 72 minutes, Ospina went out of his area, Ángel Di María threatened him and assisted Lautaro Martínez, who defined without a goalkeeper, but his shot hit Barrios, who was standing on the goal line.
Messi was also on the verge of converting in the 80th minute, but a demanded left-footed shot deflected his marker and hit the post.
Colombia also had some chances to score, but the match ended in a draw.
On penalties, ‘Dibujos’ Martínez saved the shots from Sánchez, Mina and Cardona for Argentina to celebrate their qualification for the final.
On their way to the final, the Albiceleste were the undefeated leaders of Group A ahead of Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia and eliminated Ecuador in the quarterfinals by beating them 3-0.
Argentina was again faced with the possibility of cutting a 28-year adverse streak without titles.
The last championship won by the senior team was the 1993 Copa América in Ecuador.
The Albiceleste will play this Saturday the final of the Copa América in Brazil against the locals at the Maracana.
Colombia and Peru will meet on Friday for third place.
– Data sheet:
1. Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina (m.46, Gonzalo Montiel), Germán Pezzella, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico; Rodrigo de Paul, Guido Rodríguez, Giovani Lo Celso (d.56, Leandro Paredes); Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez and Nicolás González (m.67, Ángel Di María).
Coach: Lionel Scaloni.
1. Colombia: David Ospina; Daniel Muñoz, Yerry Mina, Davinson Sánchez, William Tesillo (m.46, Frank Fabra); Wilmar Barrios, Gustavo Cuéllar (d.46, Edwin Cardona), Juan Cuadrado, Luis Díaz; Rafael Borré (m.46, Yimmi Chará) and Duván Zapata (m.60, Miguel Borja).
Coach: Reinaldo Rueda.
Goals: 1-0, m.7: Lautaro Martínez. 1-1, m.61: Luis Díaz.
Penalties: Juan Cuadrado: goal (0-1). Lionel Messi: goal (1-1). Davinson Sánchez: failed (1-1). Rodrigo De Paul: failed (1-1). Yerry Mina: failed (1-1). Leandro Paredes: goal (2-1). Miguel Borja: goal (2-2). Lautaro Martínez: goal (3-2). Edwin Cardona: failed (3-2).
Referee: Venezuelan Jesús Valenzuela admonished Lo Celso, Montiel, Guido Rodríguez and Pezzella, from Argentina, and Cuadrado, Fabra, Borja, Muñoz, Cardona and Barrios, from Colombia.
Incidents: match of the semifinals of the Copa América in Brazil played at the Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasilia behind closed doors.