EAST RUTHERFORD, JUNE 26: World champions Argentina showed their steel and killer instinct as they beat Chile 1-0 on Tuesday to book their place in the Copa America quarter-finals.
Lautaro Martinezs 88th-minute winner delighted the 82,000, overwhelmingly pro-Argentina crowd at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
It leaves Chile, Copa America winners in 2015 and 2016, needing to beat Canada on Saturday to have hope of staying in the tournament.
Argentina are chasing their third straight major title after their Copa win in 2021 and World Cup triumph the following year, and the confidence that comes with success was evident.
Despite valiant resistance from Chile, Lionel Scalonis team never lost belief as they delivered another performance full of grit, allied with the flair and imagination that delights their fans.
"The truth is that the match was not easy and we won in the least expected moment, I would say," he added. —AFP
