Argentina reached rarefied air Sunday with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa América final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Lionel Messi’s teammates stepped up when the 37-year-old superstar captain was tearfully subbed off during the second half with an injury, and Argentina finally broke through in the 112th minute on a goal from Copa América top scorer Lautaro Martinez, making his fifth goal of the tournament.
With this victory, Argentina becomes the first nation to win two consecutive Copa Américas with a World Cup in between. Messi’s team matches the dominance of Spain from 2008-2012, the only other country to achieve such a run. The win also ends an impressive 28-game unbeaten streak for Colombia.
