Argentina advances on penalties to Copa final against Brazil
Brasilia (Brazil): It will be Lionel Messi's Argentina against Neymar's Brazil in the Copa America final on Saturday at the historic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Argentina won its semifinal against Colombia 3-2 on penalties after three saves by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Regular time ended 1-1 at the Man Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia on Tuesday.
Emi is a phenomenon. We trusted him," Messi said after the match.
It was an objective to play all the matches and now we will try to win this final.
Argentina hasn't captured a major title since 1993 when it won Copa America. On that occasion, the team eliminated Colombia on penalties 6-5 in the semifinal after a goalless draw.
Brazil beat Peru 1-0 on Monday to advance to the final. The Selecao has never lost a Copa America final at home and has won five out of six matches so far.
It took Argentina only seven minutes to open the scoring. Rodrigo de Paul found Messi in the penalty box with a through pass. The star earned his fifth assist in the tournament with a pass to Lautaro Martinez, who put the ball in the right corner past Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina.
A more aggressive Colombia, led by Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, hit the bar and the post in the second half before it leveled in the 61st minute with Luis Diaz, who received the ball on the left of Argentina's box shot almost with no angle to beat Martinez.
Argentina reacted after 67 minutes when ngel di Mar a came into the match, replacing Nico Gonz lez. The winger created several opportunities including one in the 80th minute that ended with Davinson Sanchez saving a finish by Lautaro Martinez on the goal line.
The last big opportunity in regular time came with Messi hitting Ospina's right post in 81st minute from short range.
Martinez saved the shots taken by Sanchez, Yerry Mina and Edwin Cardona in the shootout. Messi converted his opportunity from the spot and was one of the most joyous players in the celebrations. He seeks his first major title with Argentina against favorites Brazil.
Rodrigo de Paul missed his shot, but Leandro Paredes and Lautaro Martinez netted their chances for Argentina in the shootout. Cuadrado and Miguel Borja scored from the spot for Colombia.
In tears, Martinez said after the match he wanted to face the Brazilians in the final in the Maracana Stadium. This is a matter of luck, today it was mine. Brazil is a great team, the favorite," Martinez said.
But we have a great coach, we have the best player in the world and we will try to win it, he said.
Colombia will play on Friday in the third-place playoff against Peru.
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Dubai: Kannadigas Helpline supports stranded tourists, seeks Rs 2 crore emergency relief from K'taka
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Dubai: The Kannadigas Helpline team organised a virtual meeting to review the current situation in the UAE and gather information about stranded Kannadigas to share with the Karnataka government.
The meeting was led by non-resident businessman and advocate for non-resident Kannadigas (NRKs), Dr. Ronald Colaco. Addressing participants, Dr. Colaco said the UAE remains safe and expressed confidence that normalcy would return soon. He urged Kannadigas to follow guidelines issued by UAE authorities and cooperate with local officials.
Dr. Colaco also announced his readiness to bear the expenses required to maintain an emergency support system for tourists facing distress. He appealed to the Karnataka government to announce an emergency relief grant to assist affected individuals.
Legislative Council member S.L. Bojegowda, who is currently in Dubai, said clarity on the evolving situation is expected shortly. He stated that Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has been requested to sanction an emergency relief fund of Rs 2 crore to support distressed Kannadigas. According to him, the Minister has assured that the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister.
Dr. Aarthi Krishna, Vice President of the Non-Resident Indian Committee and MLC, said she remains in constant contact with Gulf embassies and non-resident Kannadigas in the region. She added that updates are being regularly shared with the Karnataka government and that she is extending full cooperation to the Kannadigas Helpline team.
Karnataka NRI Forum President Praveen Shetty said non-resident Kannadigas in the UAE are safe and that local authorities have implemented necessary safety measures. He urged people not to panic or circulate unverified information on social media.
Hidayat Addur, Coordinator of the Kannadigas Helpline and BCCI UAE President, said the team is working round-the-clock to assist stranded individuals, including facilitating access to medical services when required.
Karnataka Sangha Dubai President Shashidhar Nagarajappa assured that helpline volunteers are available across Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ajman to support Kannadigas in need.
Several community leaders and representatives participated in the meeting, including Daya Kirodian, Chandru Lingadalli, Mallikarjuna Gowda, Imran Khan, Shweta Jadhav, Manohar Hegde, Nagaraja Rao, Samad Birali, Salim Moodubidire, Samshuddin Piligudu, Rock Karnataka Sangh President Ramesh Rangappa and Kannada Pathashale Dubai representative Girish Worate.
