Emiliano Martinez once again proved to be the match-winner for Argentina. The Aston Villa goalkeeper has been the saviour for La Albiceleste against Ecuador in the quarter-final of Copa America 2024. He saved two back-to-back penalties to help the reigning champions qualify for the semi-final of the quadrennial tournament. The score was 1-1 till the end of 90 minutes and in the penalty shootout, the holders went through by winning 4-2.
The 31-year-old since his inception to the national squad has been the game changer for the side under the post. He has been leading the charge from behind since the Copa America 2021, as he won the Golden Gloves, for his heroic performances throughout the tournament, especially in the semi-final penalty shootout against Colombia. Followed by the FIFA World Cup 2022 where he made the decisive save for the defending world champions in the final minute of the game to take the game through to another shootout.
Emiliano Martinez has been known for playing mind games during the shootouts to distract the penalty-takers and he has been successful the majority of the time. He evoked memories of the 2022 World Cup as he once again danced around, delaying proceedings on Thursday night. Some of the same tricks that once led him to be called ‘the most hated man’ in football returned.
Emiliano Martinez: ‘The Bad Boy of Football’
Argentina have won all of their shootouts since the inception of the 6ft 4inch shot-stopper on the national side. Martinez has saved nine of the twenty-four penalties that have been called against him in Albiceleste games. While his opponents have also missed three of them. There have been 12 converted against him. That means that he is 50% efficient whether he is saving them or seeing his opponent miss.
Argentina opened the scoring in the 35th minute of the game after Lisandro Martinez headed in his first international goal from an Alexis Mac Allister flick-on. They conceded in the 91st minute of the game with Kevin Rodriguez headed past the goalkeeper to make it 1-1. Lionel Messi missed the penalty after his panenka clipped the crossbar. With the defending champions scoring the rest of their penalties Martinez denied the first two shots of Ecuador.
