Argentina, without Lionel Messi, got two goals from Lautaro Martinez to defeat Peru 2-0 in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Saturday to win Group A at Copa America.
Martinez started for the first time in the tourney and scored for the third straight match, finding the back of the net in the 47th and 86th minutes. He had scored in the 88th minute in each of Argentina’s previous two Copa matches.
Angel Di Maria set up Saturday’s first goal with a through ball that Martinez took in stride before scoring from the center of the box.
Argentina missed an opportunity to extend the lead in the 72nd minute when Leandro Paredes, taking a penalty, powered the attempt off the right post after Jesus Castillo was called for a handball.
But Martinez put the match away with his ninth goal in 13 career Copa America matches as Argentina finished the group stage at 3-0-0.
Peru coach Jorge Fossati was upset with the goal because he and his players felt Martinez had committed a foul to get to the ball.
“I believe the referee was biased at some points, at some points he was giving … us fouls where we hadn’t even touched opponents,” Fossati said. “The referee and VAR missed the foul on the second goal. It was revealed on the big screen. It was a clear foul by Lautaro that threw our player off balance. I believe it was crystal clear. In many disputed moments, it was always against us.”
In winning all three of its group matches, Argentina scored all five of its goals in the second half.
“I think the opponents had a lot of strategy,” Argentina assistant coach Walter Samuel said. “They didn’t give a lot of spaces. Sometimes it’s different to find a way. We ask our players to be patient. The first goal was a great goal, and I was sure we were going to find it.
“It was a must-win for them and we managed to win it anyway.”
Peru’s Franco Zanelatto hit the left post with a header in the 89th minute.
Messi and several other starters did not play because Argentina, defending champion of the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup, had already qualified for the quarterfinals with six points coming into Saturday’s match.
Messi is recovering from a right thigh injury sustained in a match against Chile on Tuesday. Messi, who turned 37 on Monday, is eyeing a return for Thursday’s match in Houston against the second-place finisher in Group B, which will be decided on Sunday between Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela.
Samuel did not have an update on Messi’s status, but he liked what he saw on the field regardless.
“Today we’ve seen many players that have not played before,” Samuel said. “We are extremely pleased with the first round and now comes the next round, and we need to be ready for that.”
Argentina was dominant everywhere but the scoreboard in the first half, owning 79.3 percent of the possession and advantages in shots (6-1) and attempts on target (3-0), but goalkeeper Pedro Gallese bailed out the Peruvians.
His best save came in the 26th minute on a well-struck free kick by Paredes that was targeted for the upper left corner of the net.
Another Lionel, coach Lionel Scaloni, was absent for Argentina. He was suspended for the match and fined because his team was late coming out for the second half in the two previous Copa matches.
“I believe for a great deal of the match this was the weakest of all three games,” Fossati said. “We were unable except for a couple of minutes, probably around the time they scored the second goal. Maybe at that point we were performing a little bit better.”
–Field Level Media
