Defeat wasn't an option for hero Martinez

Emiliano Martinez said he “wasn’t ready to go home” after becoming Argentina’s saviour in their Copa America shoot-out win over Ecuador on July 4, saving two spot kicks and picking his team up off the floor after captain Lionel Messi had missed the first penalty.

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The clash went to penalties after Kevin Rodriguez’s stoppage-time leveller for Ecuador cancelled out Lisandro Martinez’s first-half opener.

After the quarter-final ended 1-1, Martinez’s saves from Angel Mena and Alan Minda put Ecuador on the back foot at the NRG Stadium in Houston and set the platform for defending champions Argentina to win 4-2 on penalties.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper had pumped up the crowd earlier when Ecuador skipper Enner Valencia missed a second-half penalty, and the 31-year-old said he made it clear to his teammates before the shoot-out that defeat was not an option.

“I told the boys I wasn’t ready to go home. They weren’t either,” added Martinez, after being named Player of the Match.

“We are champions of the world and of (South) America, this team deserved to go on.