Argentina sneaked through the back gate in a nervy penalty shootout win against Ecuador at NRG Stadium in Houston to qualify for the semi-final of Copa America 2024.
Match Result: Argentina 1-1 Ecuador
Penalty Shootout: Argentina 4-2 Ecuador
Goalscorers
Argentina: Lisandro Martinez (35’)
Ecuador: Kevin Rodriguez (90+1’) 
First Half Analysis
The first half of the quarter-final was a seesaw for both teams despite Argentina taking the lead. Argentina had the upper hand in the opening minutes but Ecuador had an equal share of the attack in the latter half. Moises Caicedo led the charge from Ecuador but Lisandro Martinez’s goal from Alexis Mac Allister delivery led to Argentina going into the break.
Key Moments
- Argentina took the lead thanks to goals from Lisandro Martinez
- Moises Caicedo was the star for Ecuador in the first half
- Both teams shared an equal share of chances
Second Half Highlights
The Ecuadorians led the charge in the second half and got rewarded with a penalty in the 62nd minute, but Enner Valencia missed. Argentina opted to stay back, which backfired as Ecuador came close many times. John Yeboah finally found the equalizer at the 90+1 minute. After Ecuador came close again in injury time, Argentina prevailed in taking the game to penalties thanks to the late goal.
Key Moments
- Enner Valencia missed the penalty in 62th minute
- Argentina looked on backfoot
- Ecuador finally got equalizer in injury time
Match Defining Moments
Argentina’s early play: Argentina started off on the front foot and created big chances in the early half. After getting the lead, Argentina struggled to build momentum after Ecuador made a big comeback, which kept Argentina under pressure after the goal. This phase ended up being a decisive factor in the match for Argentina.
Enner Valencia’s penalty miss: After conceding a goal, Ecuador looked all over Argentina and got their return, but Enner Valencia failed to convert the penalty kick. After finding their equalizer late in the game, Ecuador were on the verge of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in Copa America history if Enner Valencia had scored that penalty.
Emiliano Martinez’s brilliance: Emiliano Martinez has built his image as one of the best players in penalties and he was again on roll against Ecuador. First he saved Valencia’s penalty and then continued the same run in the penalty shootout. Lionel Messi missed the first penalty but Martinez saved two penalties of Ecuador to take his team through.
Implications and Future Prospects
Argentina will not be too happy with this as they were scratchy in the win. They need to improve their defense in set-pieces and will now face the winner of Venezuela vs Canada. With Lionel Messi yet to show up in his known form, Argentina are expected to defend their title.
Ecuador were brilliant against Argentina and could’ve pulled off the upset if they had luck on their side. They made a big comeback after conceding the first goal and kept Argentina under pressure for most part of the match.
Upcoming Fixtures
Argentina vs. Venezuela/Canada: 10 July 2024 (Copa America Semi-Final)
Conclusion
Even though Argentina weren’t at their best against Ecuador, they still managed to win the match. Despite being the defending champions, the team still needs to work on some areas. Particularly when Martinez and Messi fail to score, others need to step up and save Argentina.
