MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Injured Messi still lifts Copa America trophy for the second time in a row

Messi had to leave the pitch through injury but returned to lift his 2nd Copa America

Despite lacking megastar Lionel Messi for almost half of Sunday's duel, defending champions Argentina retained the Copa America with a 1-0 victory over Colombia. Lautaro Martínez scored the only goal during extra time and only eight minutes from the end following a through ball from fellow substitute Giovani Lo Celso.

Argentina thus top the list of Copa America winners with 16 titles, followed by Uruguay's 15, in addition to copying Spain's achievement of back-to-back continental titles with a World Cup in between (2008-2020-2012).

Sunday's match kicked off about one hour later than scheduled given security incidents with fans trying to enter the Hard Rock Stadium without a ticket, leading to several arrests amid havoc and many people injured as gates were closed, keeping those who did hold paid seats to access the facility until things calmed down.

Messi got injured in the 35th minute but managed to remain in contention until his right ankle forced him to leave the pitch. He was replaced by Nicolás González in the 64th minute.

Another emotional moment came when Ángel Di María was replaced by Nicolás Otamendi two minutes before the final whistle as he bid farewell to international football. He had scored Argentina's 1-0 winner against Brazil for the Copa America crown at the Maracana Stadium over Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in 2021 as well as in the Qatar 2022 final against France.

“It was written, it was this way, I dreamed it, I said it was the last, I dreamed that I was reaching the final, that I was winning it, that I was retiring this way,” said Di María, who picked his first cap in 2008 during a 1-1- draw with Paraguay en route to the South Africa 2010 World Cup finals.

Regular and stoppage time resulted in a goalless draw that called for 30 additional minutes. Overall, Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni had to make do without Messi for about half of the match. But the substitutions he had left for later such as the coming on of Lautaro Martínez and Giovani Lo Celso proved decisive to quash Colombia's 28-game unbeaten streak under Argentine coach Néstor Lorenzo.