Image via @CopaAmerica on X

Ecuador took Argentina to penalties to decide the first semi-finalist of the Copa América. It was a very tough match where Félix Sánchez Bas could make the right click to counter the current World Champion, but a massive Emiliano Martínez stepped up to save his nation.

Goalscorers: 

Argentina: Lisandro Martínez 35′

Ecuador: Kevin Rodriguez 90+1′

Félix Sánchez Bas has been sacked after Ecuador’s elimination in the quarterfinals via penalties against Argentina. The Spanish manager has always been a scorching topic in the nation of the Galapagos Islands, where his decision-making regarding tactics, subs, and player selection was always discussed in every detail.

Ironically enough, he has been sacked after his best game in charge of Ecuador.

The battle of the midfield was vital to Ecuador’s good start. Carlos Gruezo and Alan Franco were the glue behind the increase in transactions. However, saying that Enzo Fernández, Nicolás González, and Rodrigo de Paul had bad games would be an understatement. They were lost, making bad decisions after bad decisions and losing many balls in moments where they had control. They are hard-working players. They play with intensity and try to compensate for their lack of inspiration, especially Nicolás González, who runs a lot of kilometers on the pitch, going up and down in attack and defense. Still, they were really poor yesterday night.

This is a stark contrast with Moisés Caicedo and Jeremy Sarmiento. Moisés Caicedo is coming off a mixed season with Chelsea, but he is a special player. He was everywhere on the field, carrying the ball, connecting with the midfield in attack, with and without the ball. Jeremy Sarmiento was a constant threat, winning over Argentina’s back. Nahuel Molina has never been the strongest link in Argentina, but he was very overcome by the context.

The first half was a tight contest that Ecuador just tilted the balance in their favor. However, the second half was Ecuador’s dominant until the very end. And Scaloni’s subs did not help in any way. Julián Álvarez is more associative than Lautaro so it may be a good idea at first signs, but the context just overcame Julián. A similar situation to Giovani Lo Celso, in which the few touches he had, he often messed up the play.

In this instance, maybe Félix Sánchez’s subs came late. The game was already broken, and Ecuador needed to take advantage of the momentum. Taking out Sarmiento feels weird, considering he was the man in the final third who organized the attack and had the calm to clean up the play. In the end, it became a mess. It was something that benefited Ecuador, but it was a gamble more than a plan.

However, think the attitude may have something to do with Argentina’s version of this game. Argentina’s best moments are after they score the goal.
For the first twenty minutes or so, they look surprised and already frustrated by the tight zone in which they play. It was an open secret that Argentina had an easier run to reach the final than the other candidates. Still, they needed to play and win the matches—the confidence to see themselves as the favorite is a double-edged sword.
When they scored in a corner in minute 35th from a play preceding their first real chance to score, they began to have a larger sequence of passes, look dangerous in possession, and move the ball faster. They looked what a World Champion needs to look like, but as time passed, they slowly slowed the game’s tempo. They lost the possession and did not have a way to counterattack effectively.

At the end of the second half, Ecuador was looking for an equalizer, with Argentina trying to defend as best it could. Good for them, they did. Licha and Cuti are absolute monsters; they can defend in either high lines or in the box, and this time, they cleared any ball near the penalty area. The whole Argentina squad is used to getting dirty when there is chaos. That is the biggest improvement from previous generations; they survive when things get difficult.
However, in the game’s last minutes, Ecuador’s insistence paid off with Kevin Rodriguez’s goal. It was more impetus than football when they crossed anytime they had the ball, but it was worth it when Rodriguez’s header just lighting changed the ball’s trajectory, and Dibu could not save it. There was drama as VAR looked for a possible offside from Jordy Caicedo. They interpreted he did not intervene in the goalkeeper’s vision.
A little side note: the referees were yet again underwhelming. They lost the game, allowing too many faults without any punishment and losing any authority over the players. If the game did not end in a quarrel, it was because the players refrain themselves.
Jordy Caicedo was so close to ending the game in the regular ninety minutes when he had a header alone in the penalty box, but it just went wide.

Of course, when your best player is having a tough day, it gets difficult.
Leo Messi’s physical tone was not great. He clearly lacks the dynamics, explosiveness, and fineness to take control of the game.

His missing penalty was just the cherry on top of the cake.
Luckily for him, Dibu is an actual cheap code in a penalty shootout.
Ecuador is young, and they have significant pressure on themselves after reaching this far. Argentina is used to this and has the confidence to overcome any battle. The difference in this match from a winning team against a team that is learning to win.