Emiliano Martínez’s heroics once again proved decisive as Argentina edged past Ecuador in a dramatic quarterfinal match at the 2024 Copa America in the United States. Martínez, renowned for his penalty-saving prowess, saved two crucial penalties to help Argentina secure a victory after a 1-1 draw in regular time. His performance solidified his reputation as Argentina’s penalty kick savior, reminiscent of his feats in the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup final.
The first half saw Argentina dominate possession, but Ecuador created more threatening opportunities. A critical save by Martínez early on kept the score level. Argentina broke the deadlock when Lisandro Martínez headed in a flick from Alexis Mac Allister following a well-placed corner by Lionel Messi. Ecuador responded vigorously in the second half, earning a penalty that Enner Valencia failed to convert, hitting the post.
As the match progressed into stoppage time, Ecuador equalized with a header, forcing the game into penalties. Lionel Messi, Argentina’s first penalty taker, missed his attempt, but Emiliano Martínez stepped up, saving Ecuador’s first two penalties taken by Angel Mena and Alan Minda. This gave Argentina a crucial advantage, with Julián Álvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Gonzalo Montiel, and Nicolás Otamendi successfully converting their penalties.
After the match, Martínez reflected on the squad’s determination: “I told the boys that I was not ready to go home, despite being World and Copa America champions, this squad deserved to continue.” With this victory, Argentina advances to the semifinals, where they will face either Canada or Venezuela on Tuesday, aiming to continue their quest for another Copa America title.