Argentina clinched a record-breaking 16th Copa América title and their third consecutive major trophy after Lautaro Martínez’s extra-time strike secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Colombia in Miami.
Kick-off was delayed by over an hour due to significant ticketing issues outside the Hard Rock Stadium, but both teams quickly asserted their presence once the match began. Julian Alvarez had an early chance for La Selección, sending an effort wide from a good position in the box. At the other end, Jhon Cordoba’s dangerous strike hit the woodwork.
As the first half wore on, Colombia started to dominate possession and looked more threatening in the attacking third. Despite their neat build-up play, clear-cut chances were rare, with Jefferson Lerma’s long-range drive being saved by Emiliano Martinez.
Argentina pushed for a breakthrough before half-time, but Lionel Messi’s scuffed shot was easily collected by Camilo Vargas.
Colombia started the second half strongly, nearly taking the lead within two minutes when Santiago Arias narrowly missed with an angled shot. This close call jolted Argentina into action, but their efforts were hampered when Messi was forced off with an injury midway through the second period. His replacement, Nicolás Gonzalez, almost made an immediate impact, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
Gonzalez continued to be a threat, yet he couldn’t break the deadlock, sending the match into extra-time. Shortly after the restart, Gonzalez again came close, but Vargas stood firm in the Colombian goal.
Argentina’s relentless pressure finally paid off in the 112th minute. Martínez, the tournament’s top scorer, latched onto Giovani Lo Celso’s through ball and finished emphatically into the far corner.
That decisive goal secured Argentina’s historic triumph, as Scaloni’s men held firm in the closing stages to retain their Copa crown. This victory also ended Colombia’s 29-match unbeaten run and marked their first defeat in over two years.
Source: ghmediahub
