Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in extra time to win the nation’s 16th Copa América late Sunday night at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Due to rowdy fans outside causing damage and delays, the game started at 9:22 pm ET, 82 minutes after the scheduled start time.
After Lionel Messi went down with a leg injury in the 64th minute, Argentina held on and scored through Lautaro Martínez in the 112th minute. Martínez later hugged Messi to hug him after the goal that won Argentina their 16th Copa.
Both coaches had different opinions on how the match transpired and how their teams played.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said this about Messi through a translator.
“Leo is the greatest player in history. He never wants to leave the pitch. He has a swollen ankle and wants to keep playing. I prefer those players.”
Nestor Lorenzo, coach for Colombia, had this to say after the loss.
“Of the two finalists there is one who is marking an era, it is not a coincidence and before this era they lost two Copa America finals and a World Cup final. Scaloni has been with the boys for seven years, I congratulate them. We’re just getting started. I hope we play in the next final and qualify for the World Cup. I’m proud of the boys. I thank the players.”
Before the game, there was chaos outside with fans trying to get into the stadium, with many drawing comparisons between this game and the Colombia-Uruguay game. Fans from both teams have said that CONMEBOL, the organizer of the Copa, needs to do better to stop fights and general chaos from breaking out.
Hard Rock Stadium released a statement after the game, saying “Hard Rock Stadium takes pride in hosting world-class events year-round in a safe and successful manner.
“Throughout the afternoon and evening, there were numerous attempts by unruly fans without tickets to overpower security and law enforcement personnel at entry points to the stadium, putting themselves, other fans and security and stadium staff at extreme risk.”
“We understand there are disappointed ticket holders who were not able to enter the stadium after the perimeter was closed, and we will work in partnership with CONMEBOL to address those individual concerns. Ultimately, there is nothing more important than the health and safety of all guests and staff, and that will always remain our priority.”
Hard Rock Stadium is set to host part of the next FIFA World Cup in 2026.
