CLASS BUTCHER: Lisandro Martinez delivered a ‘defensive rock’ performance, partnering with Romero to secure a vital victory for Argentina as the Man Utd star shone on the field.
Argentina and Lisandro Martinez eventually made their dominance pay against Chile in a 1-0 victory which means they sit at the top of Group A with six points from six in Copa America.
The defending champions were totally in charge as they had 22 shots to Chile’s three.
The Argentines also enjoyed 62% of the ball but could only find a late winner in the 88th minute when striker Lautaro Martinez fired home after a spell of pinball in the area.
Manchester United’s inspirational centre back, Martinez, got yet another 90 minutes under his belt and four consecutive matches of playing every minute on international duty will be nothing but good news for fans of the club.
La Albiceleste were in total command defensively and his calm presence was a significant factor in this as Chile were held back with relative ease.
El Carnicero was given a score of 7.5 for his night’s work from Sofascore.
Defensively he was a rock, making two clearances and one interception for his side.
The United number six was also able to make two tackles as very little got by him on the night.
He was strong in the duel winning two out of his four ground battles and was victorious in one out of his two aerial battles.
As fans of the Red Devils know only too well however, Lisandro brings so much more to the team than just his tenacity in defence.
The Argentine brought his usual calmness and effectiveness on the ball, something the Old Trafford crowd sorely missed throughout the majority of the campaign and will hope to see much more of in 2024/2025.
Martinez had 91 touches of the ball and completed 73 of his 82 passes for a percentage of 89% successful ones.
What’s more, he rarely just passes for the sake of passing and he was once again proactive and progressive making one key pass in the game and creating one big chance.
The defender also almost opened his account for the national team when he had a shot blocked that seemed destined for the Chilean net.
The 26-year-old may have a rest in Argentina’s upcoming match because they have already advanced to the Copa America quarterfinals, but he will undoubtedly be optimistic that he will continue to play a key role in the defense once the elimination stage comes around.
Alejandro Garnacho, a 19-year-old United player, has not impressed during the tournament thus far. The young player will be aiming for his big break in the tournament’s final match against Peru.
