Copa America: Lionel Messi Misses Panenka Penalty Against Ecuador in Quarter Final Shootout

• Lionel Messi hit the bar with a failed panenka in Argentina's Copa America quarter-final shootout win over Ecuador
• Goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, spared the blushes of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner with his heroic efforts
• World champions, Argentina, will cross swords against either Canada or Venezuela in the semi-finals next week

Lionel Messi missed Argentina's first penalty kick in a dramatic Copa America 2024 quarter-final clash against Ecuador.

The match on July 5 was decided by a shootout following a late equaliser by Ecuador's Kevin Rodriguez.

Argentina initially took the lead in the 35th minute when Lisandro Martinez headed in a perfectly placed corner from Messi, assisted by Alexis Mac Allister's flick.

Throughout the 90 minutes, both teams had numerous scoring chances, but La Albiceleste held onto their slim 1-0 lead until additional time.

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In the 91st minute, Ecuador's John Yeboah quickly took a free kick, sending the ball into the penalty area.

Rodriguez managed to get a touch, redirecting it past Emiliano Martinez to force the game into penalties.

Messi misses penalty in shootout vs Ecuador

When it was Messi's turn to take the first penalty, he aimed to deceive Ecuador's goalkeeper, Alexander Domínguez, with a cheeky chip down the middle.

Unfortunately, in a video shared on social media, the ball hit the crossbar and went out, leaving Messi and Argentine fans in disbelief.

Emiliano Martinez saves Messi's blushes

Argentina faced immense pressure after their talisman missed his first penalty in the shootout.

However, Emiliano Martinez, known for his penalty-saving prowess, stepped up heroically, making back-to-back saves to steer his team to the semi-finals.

Julian Alvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Gonzalo Montiel, and Nicolas Otamendi were the subsequent penalty-takers for the World Champions, per the New York Times.

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What's next for Messis Argentina

All of them converted their shots to make it 4-2 for La Albiceleste as they marched on to the semi-finals.

Messi and company will face the winner of Venezuela vs. Canada at the AT&T Stadium on July 10, per USA Today.

No extra time in Copa America

Sports Brief also reported on reactions from fans to revelations that the 2024 Copa America has no extra time in the case of a tie in the knockout stages.

Quarter-final and semi-final games with no clear winner after 90 minutes instead head directly to penalties and only the final will have extra time played.