MIAMI, FLORIDA(SMI-GLOBAL-SPORTS-COPA-AMERICA-USA-2024-June 20-July 14, 2024)-The 48th edition of the Conmebol Copa America Football(Soccer) tournament hosted by the USA, concluded after a month of competition with Argentina defeating Colombia 1-0, in Extra-time in the finals championship game with striker Lautaro Martinez scoring the only goal of the game, his sixth of the tournament and claim its 16th Copa America crown at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

Sixteen national teams competed in the Copa America USA 2024,  with 10-teams from South-America ( Conmebol)  & 6-teams that were invited from Central and North America (Concacaf) to play in the 32-games tournament from June 20-July 14, in 14 cities across the US.

Let's emphasize that prior to the final game on Sunday July 14, the game was sold-out and there was a delay of 1hr and 20' from the original kick-off time of 8:00PM ET due to unexpected incident of a large group of fans without tickets forced themselves and trespassed the main entrance to enter the stadium but eventually the authorities managed to control and solved the issue for the game to proceed at 9:20pm ET. 

Top-ranked FIFA #1, and Copa America defending champions Argentina collided in high intensity game from start to finish with Colombia, who reached the championship game undefeated in 28-games, and highest scoring team with 12-goals in the tournament.

La Albiceleste went to the attack from the first minute, when defender Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla F.C.) through the right-side field passed the ball across the 18' to forward Julian Alvarez (Manchester City F.C.) and who with a right-footed volley shot wide at left-side goalpost for the first offensive attack of the game.

Colombia answered back with 3-consecutive counter-attacks of their own during span of 7',  two within 2-minute apart when midfielder Richard Rios gave it to Luis Diaz who from the left-side field corner ran and shot on goal with a right-footed just outside the 18' to the hands of Emiliano Martinez for his first save of the game at 5' mark.

A minute later, James Rodriguez sent a long pass from a corner kick inside the penalty box to defender Santiago Arias, who with a header gave it to forward Jhon Cordoba and shot a right footed at goal missing wide at the left-side goal post at 6' mark.

In the third offensive attack, James Rodriguez once again through a corner kick sent the ball inside the 18' finding Jhon Arias and Carlos Cuesta with a back-to-back headers to the hands of goalkeeper Dibu Martinez for another save at the 12' mark.

Los Cafeteros (Coffee Growers) kept the pressure and in another counter-attack through the left-side field, defender Johan Mojica (Villa Real C.F.) passed the ball to midfielder Jefferson Lerma who from 30-yards away shot a right-footed canon that went wide outbounds off the left-side goalpost to send both teams scoreless at the half.

Colombia picked-up where they left-off offensively and on its first offensive attack of the 2nd half, James Rodriguez through the left-side field sent the ball inside the 18' finding Jhon Cordoba who headed it back to defender Santiago Arias and shot a right-footed missing wide to the opposite left-goal post at 47' mark.

Argentina answered back 10' later, with Angel Di Maria on a breakaway towards the penalty box shot a left-footed across the right-goal post that deflected-off Camilo Vargas glove out of bounds at 57' mark to close-out the official game scoreless and sending both team to two 15'   
overtime periods to determine the winner of the game. 

In the first counter-attack of extra time for Argentina, De Paul through the left-side field corner passed it to Angel Di Maria back to Depaul who from inside the 18', kicked a rolling pass across finding Nicolas Gonzalez (Striker, ACF Fiorentina) who shot on target with a rolling right-footed to the hands of goalkeeper Camilo at 95' mark.

Los Cafeteros answered back 10' minute later through the left-side corner as well, when Johan Mojica gave it to Jorge Carrascal and immediately squeezed a rolling pass inside the 18' to Miguel Borja who shot a hard right-footed on target at goal but it deflected-off Lisandro Martinez's foot out of bound at 109' in extra time.

La Albiceleste kept the pressure and on its next counter-attack through the midfield, Leandro Paredes (AS Roma, Midfielder) passed it to Giovani Lo Celso who immediately gave it to Lautaro Martinez who score with a chip-shot over the head of goalkeeper Camilo Vargas from inside the 18', for his six goal of the tournament at 112' in extra time, seal the victory of 1-0, for Argentina over Colombia and the 16th Copa America crown for La Albiceleste.

Article Written & Photo By Marcello Cutti II/Starlight Illustrated