Football

Emiliano Martinez, Argentina's World Cup-winning goalkeeper, has been suspended for two matches by FIFA for "offensive behavior" and "violating principles of fairplay." The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced the ban on Saturday.Martinez, 32, was found to have violated FIFA's code of conduct when he held a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin after Argentina's World Cup qualifier win over Chile on September 5. He had previously performed a similar action with the Golden Glove trophy for best goalkeeper after Argentina's victory over France in the 2022 World Cup final.FIFA also sanctioned Martinez for hitting a TV cameraman's camera with his gloves after Argentina's 2-1 defeat by Colombia on September 10.The AFA expressed its dissatisfaction with the FIFA ruling, stating in a statement that it "expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee."As a result of the suspension, Martinez will miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15. Argentina currently leads the South American qualifying table with 18 points after eight matches, with Colombia trailing by just two points.Martinez's suspension highlights the ongoing debate over the appropriate boundaries of celebration in sports. While some argue that his actions were harmless and in the spirit of the game, others believe that they were disrespectful and unsportsmanlike.The incident also raises questions about the role of FIFA in regulating player behavior. Some critics argue that the organization is too quick to punish players for minor offenses, while others believe that it is necessary to maintain a level of decorum in the sport.

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.

Aston Villa's dramatic journey in the Europa Conference League continued on Thursday as they edged past Lille in a penalty shootout to reach the semi-finals. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Lille erasing Villa's first-leg advantage before a late Matty Cash goal forced the tie into extra time.In a hostile atmosphere, Lille started strongly and quickly leveled the aggregate score through Yusuf Yazici. Benjamin Andre's header midway through the second half put Lille in the ascendancy, but Villa refused to give up. With just three minutes remaining, Cash capitalized on a defensive error to equalize and send the match into extra time.The additional 30 minutes failed to produce a winner, setting the stage for a tense penalty shootout. Emiliano Martinez, who had been subjected to relentless booing throughout the game, emerged as the hero for Villa. The Argentine goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Nabil Bentaleb and Andre, securing a 4-3 victory in the shootout.Villa manager Unai Emery praised Martinez's leadership and mentality, saying, "He is very important for us. He has his personality and his personality in the dressing room is very important because he is a leader with his experiences. He has a really brilliant mentality."The victory sets up a semi-final clash with Olympiakos for Villa, who are aiming to win their first European trophy since 1982. Last season's runners-up Fiorentina also advanced to the semi-finals with a 2-0 extra-time win over Viktoria Plzen, while Club Brugge eased through with a 2-0 victory over Aris Thessaloniki.