Messi hails Argentina shootout hero Martinez as a 'phenomenon' after his Copa America semi-final heroics

Finally! Argentina has overcome its Copa America penalty shootout demons and defeated Colombia to advance to the Copa America final match-up with Brazil - and the hero of the day was Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez. Both teams faced each other for 90 minutes and had to go to penalties as stipulates by the rules, with a 1-1 draw.

Lautaro Martinez scored for Argentina early in the first half (in the 7th minute), from a Messi assist and Luis Diaz equalized for Colombia in the 61st minute of play. A trash-talking, hip-thrusting Emiliano Martinez saved three of the five penalties he faced, while Messi, Leandro Paredes and Lautaro Martinez did well to convert their chances from the spot for Argentina.

Messi labelled 28-year-old "Emi" Martinez a "phenomenon" for his three shoot-out saves. "We've got Dibu, who is a phenomenon," said Messi. "We trusted him. We achieved the goal of being able to play all the games and now we are going to the final." Emiliano told Yerri Mina, "You look scared" right before he took the penalty, and behold...

Argentina will face Brazil on Saturday night at the legendary Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. "We are both in the final. It's going to be the final we were all hoping for, it's going to be very close, very difficult," Messi recognized in his post-match interview. "We achieved our first objective, which was to play every game. Now we will try to win the final," added Messi.

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