Argentina 1-0 Colombia (aet): Lautaro Martinez´s extra-time strike seals Copa America crown

Lautaro Martinez struck an extra-time winner as Argentina edged out Colombia 1-0 to win their second successive Copa America title, regardless of shedding Lionel Messi to harm.

The Inter ahead climbed off the bench to interrupt Los Cafeteros’ hearts within the 112th minute in Miami, the place kick-off had been delayed for 82 minutes as a consequence of crowd disruption exterior the Laborious Rock Stadium.

La Albiceleste headed into further time with out Messi, who left the sector in tears within the 66th minute after sustaining an ankle harm.

However, Lautaro Martinez stepped up in his skipper’s absence, slotting previous Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas to ship his nation’s record-breaking sixteenth Copa triumph.

Each side, who had conceded a mixed three targets en path to the ultimate, demonstrated their attacking intent early on.

Julian Alvarez fired vast contained in the opening 60 seconds, whereas Jhon Cordoba’s volley clipped the skin of the put up six minutes later.

Emiliano Martinez held onto a Carlos Cuesta header and, on the different finish, Alvaraz inadvertently took the sting out of Messi’s goalbound effort on 20 minutes.

As the ultimate remained within the steadiness, Jefferson Lerma fired narrowly vast from distance, whereas Nicolas Tagliafico headed over from a Messi free-kick simply earlier than the break.

Colombia created the higher alternatives within the early phases of the second half. Santiago Arias drilled vast and Davinson Sanchez headed over from a James Rodriguez nook.

On the different finish, Vargas pushed away Angel Di Maria’s effort from a good angle, earlier than a distraught Messi was pressured off injured with 1 / 4 of regulation time remaining.

Messi’s alternative Nicolas Gonzalez thought he had damaged the impasse within the seventy fifth minute, however Argentina had been denied by the offside flag as the sport headed for further time.

Gonzalez went shut once more 5 minutes into the primary interval, with Vargas scrambling throughout to thwart him on the road.

A penalty shootout loomed however, with eight minutes remaining, two Argentina substitutes mixed with Giovani Lo Celso feeding Lautaro Martinez, whose composed end snatched a dramatic victory.