July 15: In a thrilling finale, Argentina secured the 2024 Copa America championship by defeating Colombia 1-0, thanks to a dramatic extra-time goal. The match, held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, saw Lautaro Martinez score the decisive goal in the 112th minute.
Martinez, the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals, capitalized on a Colombian turnover and broke away to fire a powerful shot past goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. This victory solidified Argentina’s dominance, as they were also the reigning champions and World Cup winners from 2022. Remarkably, Argentina never trailed throughout the competition.
Despite the absence of Lionel Messi, who exited the game in the 66th minute due to an ankle injury, Argentina managed to maintain their momentum. Messi, considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, has recently joined Inter Miami after stints with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
The match was delayed for over an hour when fans, many without tickets, stormed the stadium. Videos on social media showed fans, predominantly in Colombia’s yellow and red colors, scaling security railings and evading police and stadium staff. Several individuals required medical attention due to the South Florida heat. Eventually, the situation was contained, and the game proceeded.
Colombia began the match with energy, creating several scoring opportunities and testing Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez. However, they couldn’t break through, and their efforts were thwarted. Colombia’s defender, Daniel Muñoz, was notably absent after receiving a second yellow card in the semifinal against Uruguay.
This defeat ended Colombia’s impressive 28-game international win streak, which dated back to February 2022, also against Argentina. As Argentina celebrates their victory, the future remains bright for both teams as they look ahead to upcoming international competitions.
