It was yet another heroic night for Argentina at an international tournament, while for Emiliano Martínez, it was simply Thursday. The Aston Villa netminder came up huge yet again for his country, saving 2 penalty kicks to help send the three-time FIFA World Cup champions to the semifinals of the Copa America.
Emiliano Martínez has shown his poise on more than one occasion and is even overtaking the legendary Sergio Goycochea as Argentina’s number one penalty kick goalkeeper.
Against Ecuador, Emiliano Martínez continued his long hot streak as Argentina’s number one lucky charm when it comes to spot kicks. Here are some of El Dibu’s top PK stats:
Emiliano Martínez’s Top Penalty Kick Stats
Emiliano Martínez has won the following penalty kick shootouts for Argentina: Colombia (Copa América), Netherlands (World Cup), France (World Cup final), and now Ecuador (Copa America).
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Video: Dibu Martinez rescues Messi, Argentina again with heroic saves vs Ecuador in Copa America 2024
Martínez has saved 50% of the penalty kicks taken against him, stopping 12 out of 24 shots he has faced. Nine of those 12 shots were saved, while 2 were off target.
Emiliano Martinez and Lisandro Martinez of Argentina react after a missed penalty from Ecuador during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 quarter-final match between Argentina and Ecuador at NRG Stadium on July 04, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
Instead of using traditional goalkeeper techniques, Martínez opted for a more psychological approach. He would engage in intense verbal exchanges with the penalty taker, trying to destabilize them mentally. This tactic seemed effective as he managed to save penalties against some of the best players in the world during the World Cup.
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Argentina beat Ecuador on penalties to make the 2024 Copa America semifinals
His energetic and vocal style made him stand out and added an extra layer of drama to penalty shootouts.
