Advertisement
Aston
Villa
goalkeeper
Emi
Martinez
came
to
Argentina’s
rescure
yet
again
as
the
World
champions
secured
their
place
in
the
Copa
America
semi-finals
with
a
4-2
penalty
shootout
victory
over
Ecuador.
After
a
1-1
draw
in
regular
time,
the
match
headed
straight
to
penalties.
Argentina
faced
a
shaky
start
when
captain
Lionel
Messi’s
chipped
attempt
struck
the
crossbar.
However,
Ecuador
couldn’t
capitalize
on
the
opportunity,
with
Martinez
saving
their
first
two
spot
kicks
from
Angel
Mena
and
Alan
Minda.
Julian
Alvarez
and
Liverpool’s
Alexis
Mac
Allister
successfully
converted
their
penalties
for
Argentina.
Former
Manchester
City
defender
Nicolas
Otamendi
then
stepped
up
to
score
the
winning
penalty
after
John
Yeboah
had
briefly
revived
Ecuador’s
hopes.
Ecuador
forced
the
match
into
penalties
with
an
injury-time
equaliser,
as
Kevin
Rodriguez
headed
an
in-swinging
cross
past
Martinez.
Earlier
in
the
first
half,
Manchester
United
defender
Lisandro
Martinez
had
given
Argentina
the
lead
by
heading
home
from
close
range
following
a
corner.
The
World
Cup
holders
had
an
unconvincing
performance
in
Houston.
Ecuador
missed
a
significant
opportunity
to
level
the
score
in
the
second
half
when
captain
Enner
Valencia
hit
the
post
from
the
penalty
spot
after
Rodrigo
De
Paul
was
penalised
for
handball.
Emi
Martinez,
who
taunted
the
Ecuador
fans
following
his
penalty
saves,
turned
to
a
largely
Argentine
crowd
in
Houston,
celebrating
Valencia’s
miss
with
pumped
fists.
The
former
Arsenal
goalkeeper
has
now
faced
24
penalties
for
Argentina,
conceding
just
12
with
nine
saves
and
three
off-target
misses.
Argentina,
the
15-time
Copa
America
champions,
will
face
either
Canada
or
Venezuela
in
the
semi-finals.