Lisandro Martinez was delighted to score his first international goal and gave credit to coaching staff legend Walter Samuel after a 1-1 draw with Ecuador and a 4-2 penalty shootout win. The
26-year-old Manchester United defender was playing for his country in his 21st match and scored when Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister headed home a corner kick. Lisandro was substituted in the 78th minute and his
team equalised in stoppage time. In the shootout, captain Lionel Messi missed but Emiliano Martinez was the hero with two saves to help the defending champions, Argentina, into the ufabet http://ufabet999.app Copa America semi-finals. “I’m very
excited and happy to score my first goal for the national team,” Lisandro said in a post-match interview at the NRG Stadium in the United States.
“Walter Samuel told me to go up to the far post for the first corner kick. And that’s why I scored. Today we didn’t play very well, but we adapted and scored.
Argentina’s World Cup-winning coach Lionel Scaloni also praised Lisandro, although he was not impressed with the team’s overall performance.
“I am happy for Lisandro. He had a good game today, but I have to manage the fatigue,” Scaloni said after the game, explaining the substitution. The next round will be the winner between Canada and Venezuela.
“Today we faced a very difficult opponent. Ecuador is very physically strong. In the first half we scored more goals and in the second half it was a difficult game. “
There were times when the opponents put a lot of pressure on us, but whether we were in good form or bad, we were able to respond. And in the penalty shootout, the goalkeeper gave us confidence. The whole stadium rose up when Dibou saved the penalty. “
Of course I am happy, but this game did not give me a good time. I have to go back and analyze the game. We always have things to improve on.”