Argentina vs Ecuador live updates: Lionel Messi misses penalty but reigning Copa America champions win shootout

Ecuador will feel it did a pretty good job controlling Messi through the first 45 minutes. He did not look limited physically at all after missing the group finale but after a half hour, he had just 11 touches in the game. Every time Messi floated wide to try to get on the ball in space, Ecuador closed down with multiple defenders. They weren’t going to let him hide near the touchline to find space.

In the next five minutes, however, Messi showed that all he needs is the smallest space and a couple of touches to change the game. In the 34th minute, he played a beautiful ball through to Enzo Fernandez that led to a chance for the Chelsea man only for the shot to be blocked and go out for a corner. One minute later, Messi served in that corner kick and it was flicked on by Alexis Mac Allister and finished at the far post by Lisandro Martinez. And just like that it was 1-0 Argentina.

The veteran striker had an unbelievable tournament at the World Cup in Qatar, scoring three goals in three games. This Copa América was, uh, less memorable.

Valencia picked up a red card for a ruthlessly high boot just 20 minutes into Ecuador’s tournament opener against Venezuela, leaving his team shorthanded for the majority of a 2-1 loss. Valencia then picked up a yellow card half an hour into Thursday’s game for a foul on Mac Allister.

But it was Valencia’s penalty attempt in the 62nd minute that hurt the most. With Emiliano Martinez diving the opposite way, Valencia didn’t make full contact with his shot, a weak effort that rolled off the left post and bounced wide.

It was an awkward-looking penalty that seemed almost like Valencia was trying so hard to read the goalkeeper’s dive that he failed to hit the ball with any conviction at all, wasting Ecuador’s best chance to draw level with Argentina.

Messi has won everything. He’s scored hundreds of goals across several continents. But he still hasn’t scored directly from a corner kick.

Termed an Olimpico, Messi appeared to be going for the elusive goal when his venomous service from the corner flag screamed towards Ecuador’s near post. Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister reacted quickly and flicked Messi’s cross across the goalmouth. Lisando Martinez, unmarked at the far post, calmly headed the ball into the net to score his first goal for Argentina.

It was also the first time at this tournament that the defending champions had scored in the first half. It needed Messi’s service from wide areas, and a dead ball, for Argentina to break the deadlock.

Emi Martinez described the Mercedes-Benz Stadium pitch in Atlanta as “a disaster.” It certainly was not a surprising assessment from the outspoken Aston Villa goalkeeper.

Houston’s NRG Stadium, another domed NFL arena, didn’t play much better. It was fast and choppy. The ball bounced unpredictably, whether it was a short ball played laterally or off a long diagonal pass, while stripes of turf were clearly visible on television coverage.

Argentina’s players seemed to struggle more with the conditions of the pitch than Ecuador did. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has refused to discuss the pitch conditions after his scathing review after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Canada in Atlanta. He’ll have to hold back again if asked about Houston’s playing surface.

In a reflection of how close Argentina came to being eliminated from Copa America, Scaloni added: "This time I didn't enjoy anything. We're happy, of course, but I didn't have a good time this time."

Speaking after Argentina's win, Lionel Scaloni had praise for both Ecuador and his players: "We faced a very difficult team, very tough physically. We could have scored more goals in the first half. The second half was difficult, cut short.

"I'm happy for (goalscorer) Lisandro (Martinez), he played a good game. He was tired and I decided to take care of him (with his substitution).

"Our team is strong. At times they subdued us, but our team always reacts, regardless of whether we play well or badly.

"In the penalties, the team felt a blind trust in their goalkeeper. He is indispensable. When he saves penalties, it reverberates in the stadium."

Argentina played their worst game of the tournament and still advanced on penalties. From the stands, it felt like we watched the defending champions die and then come back to life.

Emi Martinez, the hero of Argentina's penalty-shootout victory, has received plenty of praise on our discussion page.

Argentina supporter Matan P.: Martinez is a cheat code in penalty shootouts. He is absolutely unbelievable. Julian Alvarez also has some stones, sticking his penalty in the top corner. As for the game, Ecuador were massive, we were objectively terrible.

Meanwhile, plenty of other subscribers had intense reactions to the chance Jordy Caicedo missed in stoppage time that surely would have won the game for Ecuador.

Daniel S.: Damn that header goes in and I would have been screaming

James F: Jordy Caicedo couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. In the ocean.

Ecuador limited Lionel Messi to just 32 touches tonight, his fewest in a competitive game in which he played the full 90 minutes for Argentina since 2011.

Lisandro Martinez, who scored his first career international goal tonight, became the first Argentina defender to score at Copa America since Victor Cuesta did so against Bolivia in the 2016 group stage.

As you can see from the graphic above, he also completed 100 percent of the 45 passes he attempted before coming off in the 78th minute.

After Argentina's victory, he said: "I'm incredibly excited to have scored my first goal with this jersey. (Assistant coach) Walter (Samuel) told me that on the first corner kick I had to go to the far post and so I did."

Emi Martinez also spoke after Argentina's penalty-shootout win: "They made it very difficult for us. They played a great game, very physical. We knew they were going to be one of the toughest opponents in the cup.

"I wasn't ready to go home. This group deserved to go on.

"I work to do this. I dive 500 times per training session. We have to give our best because the people deserve it."

Rodrigo De Paul praised the performance of goalkeeper Emi Martinez after Argentina's win: “We have an animal in goal. What he is doing is crazy. He deserves it. He loves these colors. He gives us a lot of security and peace of mind.”

Argentina have now won four straight penalty shootouts since Emi Martinez became their first-choice goalkeeper:

• 2021 Copa America semifinal vs Colombia
• 2022 World Cup quarterfinal vs Netherlands
• 2022 World Cup final vs France
• 2024 Copa America quarterfinal vs Ecuador

Hard not to feel for Ecuador, who finished the game really strongly and had that golden chance deep in stoppage time, when Jordy Caicedo had to score with his header from six yards out. That moment will probably haunt them more than the penalty shootout.