Legendary Lionel Messi Misses His PK at COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from International football after missing his penalty shot and Argentina’s defeat to Chile in the Copa America final. Is quitting really the right thing to do? At least now, every time a youth soccer player takes a PK and misses, he or she can know they are in very good company.
Copa America Centenario Final Recap: Chile wanted to repeat history with a second-straight Copa America title — and they did.
Argentina’s perfect run through Copa America Centenario looked great with a 4-0 victory against the USA in Tuesday’s Semifinal, with Lionel Messi putting on another show for a sellout crowd at Houston’s NRG Stadium. The world looked very different on Sunday when Argentina took on Chile in the Final and Messi missed his penalty kick in front of another sold-out crowd of more than 81,000. Francisco Silva’s decisive penalty earned Chile the title. Argentina’s desire for the trophy and its two decade plus drought was forced to continue. This was last year’s nightmare loss all over again. (Argentina lost the 2015 Copa América final to host Chile on penalty kicks also after a 0-0 draw.) Argentina has never held up a major trophy with Messi on the pitch. And, now one of the very best soccer players in the world quits his national team.
“For me, the national team is over,” Messi told the media after defeat by Chile in the Copa America final. “I’ve done all I can. I tried. It hurts not to be a champion.”
Messi was visibly embarrassed and crushed after his crucial miss – and it was his first missed PK as a player on the Argentine National Team. Messi’s record for Copa America 2016 includes 5 goals, 4 assists and 15 shots on goal. Messi’s record on the soccer field is even better with Spain’s FC Barcelona: 8 La Liga victories and 4 Champions Leagues.
As the experts say, you never know what will happen in a soccer match and when Messi missed his penalty kick during a shootout at the end of Sunday’s Copa America final – the soccer world was shocked.
Back on Tuesday, Messi had a goal and two assists and Gonzalo Higuain scored twice in front of 70,858 fans. Argentina, with five wins in five Copa America Centenario matches, moved within one win of a record-tying 15th Copa America title. They faced the winner of Wednesday’s Semifinal between Colombia and Chile in the Final on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.
When Argentina took on U.S. Men’s National Team in Houston, TX on July 21st, the famous soccer star owned the field. Messi’s chip to Ezequiel Lavezzi in the third minute produced the game’s first goal, and after being fouled in the 31st minute by Chris Wondolowski, the reigning World Player of the Year buried a free kick for his fifth goal of the tournament.
The magical Messi tied his shoe, eyed the target and curled the set piece kick away from the wall, past Brad Guzan and inside the top right corner. It was his 55th career international goal for Argentina, moving him past Gabriel Batistuta to become his nation’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Ranked 31st in the world, the U.S. faced monumental odds in trying to defeat top-ranked Argentina. Argentina went up 3-0 on Higuain’s 50th minute goal. Higuain made his run, controlled a long pass into the box and saw his initial shot saved by Guzan before cleaning up the rebound. Then, on a giveaway in the 85th minute, Messi passed up a clear shot and slid the ball to Higuain for an easy finish to complete the scoring.
The victory was tempered slightly with a scary injury to Lavezzi, who tumbled over the sideboards trying to head a ball near the sideline in the second half. Lavezzi had his back to the boards when he fell over and was down for a few moments, but was able to get to his feet and be helped onto a stretcher.
Messi wanted to give Argentina the lead … but missed. The world was astonished.
The final against Chile at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was a completely different soccer game. With a surprising 0-0 score at the end of regulation play, the game went into overtime and then penalty kicks. Why was Argentina unable to prove their prowess against the small country but formidable competitor Chile?
Argentina lost 4-2 the match after penalties which played for 120 minutes to the surprise score of 0-0.
When the match went to penalty kicks, Messi calmly walked on to take his team’s first shot. Messi looked like he had all the confidence in the world and soccer fans relaxed, assuming the Ballon D’Or winner would get the ball in the back of the net.
Messi’s shot sailed way over the top of the goal and he missed his penalty kick — something Las Vegas odds would never have favored. It was sad to see this 29 year-old soccer legend cry on the pitch. Soccer is a team sport and while Argentina wanted to rely on Messi to save the day, if the team had performed well — the moment of PKs deciding the match would never have happened. The stats showed a predominance of victories for Argentina, but as fans say in baseball. It is never over until the fat lady sings…
At least the record setting attendance and the huge increase in televisions viewers tuning in for the Copa America Centenario has assured the world that the USA loves soccer. According to Forbes, more than 100 million viewers have watched game on the Univision or Fox networks.Univision Deportes has reported record ratings, drawing a larger audience than during the group stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
At least now, every time a youth player takes a PK and misses, he or she can know they are in very good company. Maybe missing the net and having the ball fly over the crossbar will help youth players realize even the pros are not perfect.
