After Brazil’s misstep, Argentina he works a lot to overcome Chile’s grim defense but was saved in the 87th minute by paw of one of its many champions. After a post by Lionel Messi and a couple of sensational saves by Claudio Bravo, to give the lead to Selection think about it Lautaro Martinez, reiterating a short clearance from the Chilean defense on goal. Great satisfaction for the Nerazzurri striker who moves ahead in the tally of goals scored with the albiceleste shirt against rival Julian Alvarez. Fundamental victory for Scaloni’s eleven who, thanks to Canada’s narrow victory over Peru, won the first place in group A of the Copa America 2024.
Chile shoots, Messi posts
In a MetLife Stadium in good part albicelestethe first 10 minutes saw Argentina trying to immediately attack Roja to put the game on hold. After the victory over Canada, winning the Andean Derby would already be worth the quarter-finals. Scaloni operated three changes in the starting eleven with Tagliafico, Fernandez and the viola Nico Gonzales in place of Acuna, Paredes and Di Maria, who appeared not at his best. In the first quarter of an hour there was little entertainment and zero opportunities for both teams. Chile’s attitude was very conservative, allowing very little to the Selection; the first danger came in the 21st minute, when Nico Gonzales managed to feed Julian Alvarez in the middle of the area. Turned on the fly not very preciseeasy prey for Claudio Bravo.
On the stadium silence falls when in the 24th minute Lionel Messi approaches the bench to be treated by the masseurs: given that the Pulga he comes back after a couple of minutes, the muscle problem is not serious. Little by little Argentina takes measurements to Chile’s defense and begins to become more dangerous, however missing the last pass. After a missed opportunity by Nico Gonzales from a great position, when Messi starts walking onto the pitch the fansAlbiceleste they begin to fear the worst. Scaloni ponders what to do as Chile begins to test the Argentine defense, after half an hour in which they had left the ball in the hands of their rivals. The captain, however, manages to recover and comes close to scoring in the 35th minute with one razored from the distance which hits the outside post to the left of Claudio Bravo.
Two minutes later, another serpentine from Messi triggers Molina and former Viola player Pulgar receives his cross into the area almost mockery his goalkeeper with a careless intervention. The last five minutes of the first half saw a real siege from Argentina: Chile is now suffering but seems to be able to withstand the impact despite some pressing obsessiveor. The three minutes of added time saw a couple more long-range chances, including a strike from Alvarez, but Chile still it doesn’t break down. To unlock this game you will need a champion play.
Argentina siege, Gonzales cross
Argentina returns to the field determined to bring home victory number 59 against the unloved neighbors but Gareca’s eleven continued to defend in an orderly fashion, frustrating the attempts of the reigning world champions. In the 49th minute, a counterattack managed well by Messi put Molina one-on-one with Claudio Bravo, who pushes back in some way in the corner the cannon shot from the side. In the following action, Argentine protests for a handball on a shot from outside the area by Fernandez but the VAR does not call the referee to the monitor. The game becomes now more nervous, with a few too many rough interventions, like the one by Suazo on De Paul which cost him a yellow card. In the 56th minute a carom from a free kick puts Mac Allister two steps away from Claudio Bravo but the ball is a moment too long for the midfielder: the goalkeeper of the Roja para without problems.
Chile occasionally find ways to trigger Alexis Sanchez’s runs on the right but lack continuity and never manage to worry the defence. Selection. In the 60th minute, on yet another restart, Nico Gonzales frees himself and unleashes a shot that Bravo manages to deviate onto the crossbar, again denying the advantage to an Argentina team that seems to have much more than its rivals. Scaloni tries to increase forward pressure inserting Lo Celso in place of Fernandez: Gareca responded by recalling Alexis Sanchez to the bench and introducing Bolados but 25 minutes after the final whistle the score remained 0-0. The Tottenham midfielder immediately becomes dangerous on a couple of occasions but is not very precise: Chile does not seem capable of breaking a siege that is becoming really suffocating.
Lautaro solves it at the last minute
An error in midfield gives space for the restart Roja who first makes space on the right, then gets the ball to the centre: Echeverria comes running from the back and shoots a shot low shot blocked by Dibu Martinez. The first shot on target convinces Scaloni to make a further double substitution which recalls the tired Nico Gonzales and Julian Alvarez to give about twenty minutes to Angel Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez. Chile, however, took a liking to it and in the 75th minute, yet another insertion by Isla on the right provided a new opportunity for Echeverria, who the Argentina goalkeeper stop in two times.
The scare seems to shake Argentina that yes reverse forward: a couple of times Lautaro would have good balls but is not precise but in the 78th minute big doubts on a pass by Nunez on Di Maria just outside the area. The Uruguayan referee lets things go too far, including an equally questionable intervention in the Argentine area: incomprehensible how the VAR does not call it back to the monitor. With 8 minutes to go Scaloni changes both full-backs, inserting Acuna and Montiel but the game remains played with great intensity and a little too much income. Three minutes from the end, from a corner, Claudio Bravo saves an overhead kick from close range but the defense’s clearance causes the ball to carom onto the feet of Lautaro Martinez, who from there he really can’t go wrong. There is a long VAR check for a possible offside by Lo Celso but in the end the joy of the Argentine fans is unleashed. The five minutes of injury time saw Chile lunge forward in search of an equalizer but opens up to Argentina’s deadly restart: Di Maria launches himself and provides a perfect assist to Lautaro but the Nerazzurri forward had his second saved by Claudio Bravo. It doesn’t matter, Argentina wins and qualifies for the quarter-finals of the Copa America before the round.
The scoreboard
CHILE (4-5-1); Good boy; Isla (86′ Fernandez), Lichnovsky, Díaz, Suazo; Pulgar (76′ Nunez), Echeverría, Dávila, Sánchez (65′ Bolados), Osorio; Vargas (86′ Brereton Diaz). Trainer: Ricardo Gareca
ARGENTINA (4-4–2); Martinez; Molina (82′ Acuna), Romero, L. Martínez, Tagliafico (82′ Montiel); De Paul, Fernández (64′ Lo Celso), Mac Allister, González (72′ Di Maria); Messi, Alvarez (72′ Lautaro Martinez). Trainer: Lionel Scaloni.
Markers: 87′ Lautaro Martinez (A)
Warned: 54′ Suazo (C), 81′ Isla (C)
Expelled:-
Referee: Andrés Matonte (Uruguay)
