Goalkeeper Martinez saves Argentina from World Cup heartbreak

DOHA:

Emiliano Martinez

came to the rescue for

Argentina

connected a singular nighttime of play by redeeming 2

Netherlands

penalties successful the shootout to nonstop his state done to the

FIFA World Cup

semifinals.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper was hardly tested for the champion portion of 90 minutes arsenic Argentina swept into a two-goal pb earlier substitute Wout Weghorst engineered an unthinkable Dutch fightback successful the quarterfinal.
Argentina were stunned arsenic Weghorst equalised successful the 11th infinitesimal of added time, forcing an other 30 minutes to the astonishment of the 88,235 successful attendance astatine Lusail Stadium -- astir each of those rooting for Lionel Messi and his teammates.

But Martinez seized his accidental to beryllium the leader conscionable erstwhile it looked arsenic if Argentina were acceptable to look much World Cup agony, flying to his close to thenar distant Virgil van Dijk's opening effort from the spot.
After Messi, who had doubled Argentina's pb during the crippled with a penalty, coolly rolled location his team's archetypal attempt, Martinez flung himself to his near to contradict Steven Berghuis.
Enzo Fernandez drilled wide with the accidental to triumph it for Argentina, but Lautaro Martinez made nary mistake with their pursuing kick, mounting up a clash with 2018 runners-up Croatia.
"I consciousness the emotion. What I do, I bash for 45 cardinal (Argentinians) who are going done a atrocious economical crisis," said Martinez. "Giving joyousness to radical is the champion happening that happens to maine astatine the moment. The guys were tired, I felt they needed assistance but I wasn't capable to bash anything. Thankfully, I was capable to bash it aboriginal by redeeming 2 penalties."
The triumph not lone kept live Messi's imagination of yet getting his hands connected the World Cup trophy, but came conscionable hours aft Argentina's large rivals Brazil crashed retired of the tourney connected penalties to the Croatians.

At 35, Messi knows this volition beryllium his 5th and last World Cup -- and a winner's medal would burnish his bequest arsenic 1 of football's top ever players, placing him close alongside compatriot Diego Maradona and Pele.
But it could each person been implicit had it not been for Martinez, who besides played a starring relation successful the 2021 Copa America triumph, which ended Argentina's 28-year rubric drought.
Martinez saved 3 attempts successful a semi-final shootout triumph implicit Colombia earlier being named goalkeeper of the tourney aft keeping a cleanable expanse successful the 1-0 triumph against hosts Brazil successful the final.
"We knew arsenic he'd done against Colombia helium could prevention immoderate penalties," said Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni.
Martinez was named goalkeeper of the tournament, but it has been a agelong and winding roadworthy to the apical for a subordinate who spent 10 years astatine Arsenal earlier yet uncovering a spot to telephone home.

He conceded 5 goals connected his 2nd quality for the Gunners successful the League Cup, a lucifer champion remembered for Arsenal's comeback from 4 goals down astatine Reading successful a 7-5 win.
Martinez's clip astatine the Gunners was mostly spent connected indebtedness successful the English little leagues, and helium looked destined for a vocation arsenic a journeyman earlier chap Premier League nine Aston Villa bought him for a reported £20 cardinal ($24.5 million) successful September 2020.
He became Villa's starting keeper close distant and by the extremity of that play helium had emerged arsenic archetypal prime for Argentina, making his debut 10 years aft his archetypal call-up.
Over the past twelvemonth helium has entrenched himself arsenic Argentina's undisputed fig one, a reliable beingness the Albiceleste were sorely missing 4 years agone successful Russia -- and 1 they anticipation tin pb them to a 3rd World Cup crown.