Argentina clinched their record 16th Copa América title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Colombia in a dramatic final at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The match, which kicked off after a significant delay due to crowd disturbances, saw Lautaro Martínez emerge as the hero, scoring the decisive goal in the 112th minute of extra time.The victory was bittersweet for Argentina, as their captain and talisman Lionel Messi was forced to leave the field due to an injury. Messi, who had been substituted in the 65th minute, was visibly distraught on the sidelines. Despite his absence, his teammates rallied to secure the win, potentially providing a fitting send-off for the football icon in what might have been his last major international tournament.This triumph marks Argentina’s second consecutive Copa América title and completes their ‘Triple Corona,’ following their victories in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 World Cup. The achievement cements Argentina’s status as the most successful team in Copa América history, surpassing Uruguay’s previous record of 15 titles.The match itself was a tense affair, with both teams creating chances throughout regular time. Colombia’s strong first-half performance was met with increased pressure from Argentina in the second half. The game’s only goal came from Martínez, who not only secured the victory but also finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals.The final was marred by pre-match chaos, with the kickoff delayed by over an hour due to crowd trouble outside the stadium. Thousands of fans without tickets attempted to breach security barriers, leading to several incidents. Despite these challenges, the match proceeded, culminating in Argentina’s historic victory.
Key points
- Argentina won their record 16th Copa América title, defeating Colombia 1-0 in extra time.
- Lautaro Martínez scored the winning goal in the 112th minute, also finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.
- Lionel Messi was forced to leave the game due to injury, potentially in his last major international tournament.
- The match was delayed by over an hour due to crowd disturbances outside the stadium.
Contradictions👾Some sources report the winning goal was scored in the 112th minute, while others state it was in the 6th minute of the second half of extra time.
This discrepancy likely stems from different ways of reporting extra time.
👾There are conflicting reports about when Messi left the game, with some sources stating the 65th minute, others the 66th minute, and one source reporting the 19th minute.
