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Argentina is Colombia’s rival in the semifinal of the Copa América – International Football – Sports

A goal from a free kick from Lionel Messi and two assists led this Saturday to
Argentina to a 3-0 win over Ecuador and the semifinals of the Copa América, where they will meet Colombia this Tuesday in Brasilia.

(You may be interested in: So were the charges that got Colombia into the semifinals)

Rodrigo De Paul, Lautaro Martínez and Lionel Messi scored the goals for the Albiceleste for a triumph that keeps them undefeated in the tournament and with the intact illusion of achieving a continental title that has been denied since 1993.

The match played at the Pedro Ludovico Teixeira Olympic Stadium, in Goiania, had an intense start for the Albiceleste who sought to impose their game from the beginning as in the four games of the group stage.

Messi celebrates his goal against Ecuador.

Lautaro Martinez He became the spearhead of Argentina and in the first ten minutes he had two options to open the score: in the second minute the goalkeeper Hernán Galínez had a great intervention and in the 13th the defender Robert Arboleda drowned the goal cry. to the forward of Inter with a save with just enough.

In the 20th minute, Germán Pezzela headed a shot that was barely deflected and confirmed Argentina’s extensive dominance in the match against an Ecuadorian team that was retreating. In the 22nd minute, a bad delivery behind Carlos Gruezo left Lionel Messi alone against Hernán Galíndez but his cross shot hit the base of the post and again denied the opening of the scoreboard.

Ecuador woke up first with an appearance by Jhegson Méndez who demanded the appearance of Emiliano Martínez, who in the 35th minute had a false start in a crossed center that neither Enner Valencia nor Alan Franco could connect. But in the 39th minute, a deep ball from Marcos Acuña demanded a departure from Galínez to cut Nicolás González who drifted the ball at the feet of Lionel Messi who sent a precise pass to leave Rodrigo De Paul facing an empty goal where defined with a cross shot.

(Leave además: Program: this is how the semifinals of the Copa América will be played)

Before the break, Nicolás González had a double option against a Galíndez who showed off with a sensational appearance first against a header and then by blocking a shot from close range. On the last play before halftime, Enner Valencia hit a cross on a ball that just went wide.

In the second half, Alfaro bet on the income of Gonzalo Plata and Michael Estrada to renew his illusions of leveling the score. In the 57th minute, another onslaught by Enner Valencia ended with a low shot that required the intervention of Emiliano Martínez to send the ball into the corner kick.

Five minutes later, an exit from a corner kick ended with a shot that was deflected by Nicolás González and almost ended with a goal against confirming the intensity of Ecuador in search of a tie. In the 73rd minute, Argentina was able to get out of the siege a bit and put together a collective move that ended with a slightly deflected shot from Lionel Messi, who two minutes later smashed a free kick into the wall.

(Read also: Messi spoke about Colombia, his next rival)

Ecuador did not surrender and in the 79th minute an individual play by the admitted Gonzalo Plata ended with a low shot at the near post that again demanded another intervention from Emiliano Martínez. But in the 84th minute came the goal that calmed the Albiceleste with a pressure from Ángel Di María to Piero Hincapié for the assistance of Lionel Messi to Lautaro Martínez who defined with a furious shot to inflate the net.

On the last play of the match, Rodrigo De Paul gave a speed qualification for Ángel Di María who was touched and moved by Piero Hincapié and although at first glance Wilton Sampaio scored a penalty then, at the request of the VAR, he signaled a free kick and sent off the player. Ecuadorian defense. However, from that free kick on the edge of the area, Lionel Messi placed it in the left corner of Galíndez to seal the victory of the Albiceleste and mark the fourth of his personal harvest in this Copa América.

In this way, Argentina sealed its passport to the semifinals, where it will face Colombia next Tuesday, which in the previous game won the penalty shootout against Uruguay.

EFE

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