Argentina snatch late Copa America win vs. Chile behind Martinez

In a career with absolutely nothing left to prove, Lionel Messi actually achieved a first on Tuesday night.

Twenty four hours after fans swarmed his hotel room with cake and birthday well-wishes, the Argentine star stepped onto the MetLife Stadium field as a newly-minted 37-year-old.

And after laboring for nearly the entire match, he and Argentina would finally get their icing on the cake as Lautaro Martinez fired in a late rebound winner to beat Chile 1-0 in New Jersey.

On the balance, this was a deserved Argentina win, though it started to feel less likely the longer Chile clanged on.

Martinez, a second-half substitute, ensured Argentina got all three points as he scored off a corner in the 88th minute. 

The beginning of the first half was the sort of cagey affair that you might expect from a pair of countries that have twice faced each other in Copa America finals.

Chile, after an incisive Mauricio Isla cross briefly spooked their opponents, initially looked happy to cede possession but grew progressively under pressure as the half wore on. 

The first sign of danger came in the 22nd minute – a literal warning shot from Julian Alvarez, as Nico Gonzalez found him with a neat cross into the box.

The Man City forward’s effort from inside the box was vastly undercooked and easily caught by Claudio Bravo, but Chile’s cracks had started to show and Argentina smelled blood. 

They’d end a dominant – yet profligate – first 45 with 13 shots to Chile’s 0.

Rodrigo de Paul (unsuccessfully) shot from distance several times, while Alvarez also spurned several more half-chances, the most promising of which saw him latch onto a bouncing ball with his head when the Chilean defense fell asleep. 

That chance, like his earlier attempt from Gonzalez’s feed, was easily neutralized by Bravo as it bounced off the ground into the 41-year-old’s arms. 

Messi, awoken after being fouled and left in a heap shortly after Alvarez’s (first) miss, whizzed a shot off the post in the 36th minute from all of 30 yards.

But his most memorable moment from the first half wasn’t even that close to the goal.

At one point, picking up the ball in midfield, he effortlessly slalomed past several defenders before dumping it off to a teammate. It was the type of moment he’s often produced in his two decades of brilliance seen debuting at 17, and in this case, one that caused a rather partial press box clap their hands in delight.

But Argentina would fail to break the deadlock before the first half.

In the next period, La Albiceleste would pick up where they left off, with Messi orchestrating the first chance.

He drove through the middle in the 50th minute before supplying Nahuel Molina, who shot straight at Bravo.

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Minutes later, Lisandro Martinez found space during a set piece but couldn’t quite get a toe on the ball. 

Things almost came to a crescendo when Gonzalez rattled the crossbar in the 61st minute with his left foot. It was a sign of Argentina’s frustrations on the night when he fouled his opponent immediately after, and the tide would briefly start to change soon after. 

Messi looked to have missed his best chance of the game in the 68th minute, dinking over from close after a perfectly weighted ball over the top, but the play was ruled offside and soon Argentina’s goalie Emi Martinez was finally made to sweat.

Chile, finally, began to find openings in the heart of Argentina’s defense, and Rodrigo Echeverría twice forced strong low saves from Martinez with the midfielder given space near the top of the box.

But Argentina continued to push.

Messi, ever audacious, was compelled to try an Olimpico that didn’t quite squeeze in but forced Bravo to tip over.

The next play saw another corner, a scramble around the box and a confident sidefoot finish from Martinez that Argentina deserved.