The defending champions of the Copa America, Argentina, secured a spot in the semi-finals after a thrilling penalty shootout against Ecuador on Thursday. In the match that ended 1-1 in normal time, Emi Martinez was once again at the forefront of the action, saving two of Ecuador’s spot-kicks to keep his team’s hopes alive.
Martinez has become somewhat of a penalty-saving legend in recent years, having done so for his country in the World Cup against France in 2022 and most recently for Villa against Lille in the Europa Conference League. Despite facing criticism from some fans for his performance, Martinez stood tall and determined, expressing his confidence in himself and his teammates to continue their tournament run.
Lionel Scaloni, manager of Argentina, praised Martinez’s efforts and thanked him for coming through when it mattered most. “Emi played a vital role in our victory today,” said Scaloni. “His heroics on penalties were what kept us going and allowed us to advance to the next round.”
With this win under their belts, Argentina will now face either Brazil or Colombia in the semi-finals of the Copa America.
