Football

Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez emerged as the hero in a thrilling Copa America semifinal clash against Ecuador, saving two penalties and denying Lionel Messi's blushes as the defending champions secured a 4-2 shootout victory.The match had been a tense affair, with Argentina taking the lead through Lisandro Martinez's header in the first half. However, Ecuador fought back and equalized in stoppage time through Kevin Rodriguez's header.In the penalty shootout, Messi surprisingly missed the opening spot-kick, chipping the ball against the bar. But Martinez stepped up to save two penalties from Angel Mena and Alan Minda, giving Argentina the advantage. Nicolas Otamendi then slotted home the decisive fourth kick to send Argentina into the final.Martinez's heroics were reminiscent of his performance in the 2021 Copa America semifinal against Colombia, where he saved three penalties. He also played a crucial role in Argentina's World Cup triumph in Qatar, saving two penalties in the final against France.Ecuador were left heartbroken after a match in which they had created enough chances to win. Felix Sanchez's team started brightly and dominated possession, but they were unable to find a way past Martinez.Argentina will now face the winner of Friday's match between Venezuela and Canada in the Copa America final. They will be looking to defend their title and claim their 16th Copa America crown.

Lionel Messi's participation in Argentina's Copa America quarter-final clash against Ecuador remains uncertain due to a hamstring issue. Coach Lionel Scaloni will make a decision on Messi's availability after Wednesday's training session.Messi missed Argentina's final group stage match against Peru due to a sore right hamstring. Scaloni stated that he will consult with the 37-year-old forward to assess his readiness for the game."We'll wait a couple of hours and make the decision. It is always better to have one more day," Scaloni said. "Yesterday we had good feelings and we'll take this day to define the team based on the response we get today."If Messi is unable to start, Scaloni could opt for a twin-striker attack featuring Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez. Martinez is the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, while Alvarez netted in the opening game against Canada."They have already played together against this rival. We will make the decision after today's training session. We are not ruling anything out because they have worked well and it is an option, it could be," Scaloni said.Ecuador coach Felix Sanchez does not anticipate a significant change in Argentina's approach, regardless of Messi's presence."We know we are playing a high level team, Lionel Messi is the player that makes the difference and we have played against them with him and without him on the field," Sanchez said. "Their gameplan doesn't change much - they are a group who have been with their head coach for a long time, they know their gameplan and we have had to be ready either way."Argentina will hold a training session later on Wednesday, and Scaloni will make a final decision on his team after evaluating Messi's condition and the team's overall performance.

Venezuela secured their berth in the Copa America quarterfinals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mexico on Wednesday, while Jamaica's tournament hopes were dashed.Mexico-based striker Salomon Rondon converted a penalty in the 57th minute to give Venezuela the lead, which they held onto despite Mexico's late push. Mexico's Orbelin Pineda missed a penalty in the 87th minute, allowing Venezuela to claim all three points.Venezuela now sit atop Group B with six points from two games, while Mexico can still qualify for the knockout rounds with a win over Ecuador in their final group match on Sunday.Jamaica's elimination was confirmed following their 3-1 loss to Ecuador earlier on Wednesday. Ecuador took an early lead through a Kasey Palmer own goal and a penalty from Kendry Paez. Jamaica pulled one back through Michail Antonio, but Ecuador sealed the win with a late goal from Alan Minda.Ecuador's victory keeps their hopes of reaching the quarterfinals alive, while Jamaica's tournament ends with two losses.

Argentina's Copa America preparations got off to a winning start as they edged past Ecuador 1-0 in a friendly encounter in Chicago. Angel Di Maria, donning the captain's armband in Lionel Messi's absence, proved to be the match-winner, scoring the solitary goal in the 40th minute.The game began with both teams showing attacking intent, but it was Argentina who took the lead through a moment of brilliance. Rodrigo De Paul's incisive pass found Cristian Romero in an advanced position, and the Tottenham defender executed a superb reverse pass to Di Maria. The veteran winger made no mistake, slotting the ball past Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez.Ecuador responded well to the setback and created several chances of their own. However, Argentina's defense, marshaled by Nicolas Otamendi and Lisandro Martinez, stood firm. Di Maria made way for Messi in the 56th minute, but the Inter Miami star was unable to add to the scoreline.Argentina continued to dominate possession but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. Ecuador, on the other hand, showed glimpses of their attacking potential, but their finishing let them down. The game ended 1-0, giving Argentina a morale-boosting victory ahead of the Copa America.The reigning world champions will face Guatemala in their final friendly before the tournament kicks off on June 20. They will be looking to build on their performance against Ecuador and fine-tune their preparations for the defense of their Copa America crown.