Lionel Messi inspires a narrow escape for Argentina as they beat Colombia 3-2 on penalties to advance to Copa America final A goal each from Lautaro Martinez and Luis Diaz ensured both teams cancelled each other out after 120 minutes Edwin Cardona who created the assist for Colombia’s equalizer in the 61st minute ended up losing their last penalty
Argentina progress to the final of Copa America for the first time since 2016 after beating Colombia 3-2 on penalties at the Estadio Nacional de Brasilia on Wednesday, July 7. The cracker stretched into shootouts after neither side could show superiority with the game ending in a 1-1 draw in the normal regulation period and by extension, the extra minutes.
La Albiceleste got the game off to a bright start with Lionel Messi combining well with Lautaro Martinez to hand the Argentine side the lead just seven minutes into the encounter.
The goal gave Lionel Scaloni’s men the lead in the early minutes of the game but Luis Diaz’s goal assisted by Edwin Cardona cancelled out the Argentines’ early goal.
All efforts by both teams to end the game within 90 minutes failed to materialise and they embarked on another 30 extra minutes which also produced no goal for either side.
However, the 14-time champions scored three of their spot-kicks while Colombia only managed to put two of their five kicks in the back of the net – thereby creating the passage for Messi and his men to progress to the final.
Argentina to face Brazil in the Copa America final They will now face-off with host country Brazil for the title as the Barcelona captain is hoping to win his first title for his country at the senior level.
Argentina is gunning for their 15th Copa America title while the Selecao is hoping to claim their 10th having won the last edition staged on home soil.
