The goalkeeper of the National Team, who had had almost no interventions in previous matches, reduced just enough in the one-on-one against Kuol in the six-yard box. He watches the video.
If you don’t suffer, it’s not worth it. That set phrase that usually accompanies so many moments of the Argentine National Team (and of life itself) settled this Saturday at the Ahmad Bin Ali stadium, when with the score 2-1, the goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Drawing’ Martinez appeared in its splendor with a miraculous save in a face-to-face inside the six-yard box, in the last play of the game.
The man from Mar del Plata, who put a new look for this second phase of the competition from a bet with Germán Pezzella, he threw himself forward with his whole body to reduce the juvenile’s swing shot Garang Kuolwho had left the ball in solitude after a couple of crosses over the area and turned around Lisandro Martinez.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper has just conceded eight goals in his 23 games with the Argentine National Team. In fact, during this World Cup, they finished off very few shots: two (which were goals) against Saudi Arabia; one (free kick) against Mexico; zero in the win against Poland; and only one, that last one, this Saturday against Australia.
“Out of nowhere they scored a goal for us, it was something we didn’t expect, it was a bucket of cold water. We had four or five chances to convert. The big guy came, Licha banked it, but I knew I had to help them. I tried to do the best I can”confided the Aston Villa player from England.
“Today we took a little step forward as a team. I love the Argentine people, every time I go out on the field, I think that I dedicate that save to all of them”he claimed.
And about the path that remains for the Argentine National Team in search of the third title in its history: “The Netherlands is a great rival, it is a team with much more technical quality. There are now four, we are going to seven, you have to dream big, always”.