Copa America 2024: Emiliano Martinez saves Messi blushes as Argentina beats Ecuador to reach semifinals

Copa America 2024: Argentina vs Ecuador quarterfinal match on July 4 2024. Messi misses penalty but Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saves two penalties and send Argentina to semifinal

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero, saving two penalties and Lionel Messi’s blushes as holders Argentina defeated Ecuador in a penalty shoot-out to book their place in the Copa America semifinals on July 4.

A Lisandro Martinez header had put world champions Argentina 1-0 up ten minutes before half-time but Kevin Rodriguez headed in a stoppage-time leveller for Ecuador, who had risen to the occasion in front of 69,456 fans at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

Messi missed the opening penalty, chipping against the bar, but thanks to heroics from Martinez, Argentina recovered to win the shoot-out 4-2 and progress into the semifinals where they will face the winner of Friday’s match between Venezuela and Canada.

Messi’s ‘panenka’ miss brought back memories of his miss in the shoot-out loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa final but luckily for him goalkeeper Martinez was in the mood to repeat his own past.

He pulled off superb diving saves to deny Angel Mena and Alan Minda and get his team in front before Nicolas Otamendi slotted home the decisive fourth kick.

Martinez had saved three spot-kicks in a 3–2 penalty shootout victory for Argentina over Colombia in the semi-final of the 2021 Copa America and famously saved two in the World Cup final win against France in Qatar.

Ecuador were left crestfallen after a match in which they had created enough opportunities to have won the game.