Lionel Messi’s Argentina snatches late Copa America winner vs. Chile as Lautaro Martinez bundles in decisive goal for 1-0 win

In a career in which there is absolutely nothing to prove, Lionel Messi scored his first goal on Tuesday night.

Twenty-four hours after fans invaded his hotel room with cake and birthday wishes, the Argentine star entered the MetLife Stadium field like a newborn 37-year-old.

And after working for almost the entire match, he and Argentina would finally get the icing on the cake when Lautaro Martínez scored a late rebound to beat Chile 1-0 in New Jersey.

Overall, this was a well-deserved victory for Argentina, although it began to look less likely the longer Chile held on.

Martinez, a second-half substitute, ensured Argentina got all three points by scoring from a corner in the 88th minute.

The start of the first half was the sort of cagey affair one might expect from a pair of countries who have met twice in Copa America finals.

Chile, after an incisive cross from Mauricio Isla briefly scared their opponents, initially seemed happy to cede possession but progressively grew under pressure as the half progressed.

The first sign of danger came in the 22nd minute: a literal warning shot from Julián Álvarez, when Nico González found him with a good cross into the area.

The Manchester City striker’s shot from inside the area was very low and Claudio Bravo caught it easily, but Chile’s cracks had begun to show and Argentina smelled blood.

They would finish a dominant – although wasteful – first 45 with 13 shots to Chile’s 0.

Rodrigo de Paul (unsuccessfully) shot from distance several times, while Álvarez also squandered several more half-chances, the most promising of which was grabbing a bouncing ball with his head as the Chilean defense fell asleep.

That opportunity, like his previous attempt to feed Gonzalez, was easily neutralized by Bravo when he bounced off the ground into the 41-year-old’s arms.

Messi, awakened after being fouled and abandoned shortly after Alvarez’s (first) miss, fired a shot that hit the post in the 36th minute from 30 yards.

But his most memorable moment of the first half was nowhere near scoring.

At one point, taking the ball in midfield, he effortlessly weaved his way past several defenders before passing it to a teammate. It was the kind of moment he has produced often in his two decades of brilliance, when he debuted at age 17, and in this case, one that caused the rather biased press room to clap in delight.

But Argentina failed to break the deadlock before the first half.

In the following period, the Albiceleste would continue where they left off, with Messi orchestrating the first opportunity.

He passed through the middle in the 50th minute before serving to Nahuel Molina, who fired straight at Bravo.

Minutes later, Lisandro Martínez found space on a set piece, but was unable to grab the ball.

Things almost reached a crescendo when González hit the crossbar in the 61st minute with his left foot. It was a sign of Argentina’s frustrations on the night that he fouled his opponent immediately afterwards, and the tide would briefly begin to turn soon after.

Messi appeared to have missed his best chance of the match in the 68th minute, diving from close range after a perfectly weighted ball over the top, but the play was disallowed for offside and soon Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martínez was finally forced to sweat.

Chile finally began to find openings in the heart of the Argentine defense, and Rodrigo Echeverría forced two strong low saves from Martínez with space for the midfielder near the top of the box.

But Argentina continued to press.

Messi, always bold, was forced to try an Olimpico that he failed to score but forced Bravo to tip over.

The next play saw another corner, a run around the area and a confident lateral shot from Martínez that Argentina deserved.