After being rested previously, Mac Allister returned to the starting lineup as his team faced Ecuador in the Copa America quarter-finals in Houston, Texas.
Mac Allister
Liverpool’s No. 10 is one of four club representatives to reach the final eight of the competition, and he became the first to advance to the semi-finals after a tense battle with Ecuador.
Mac Allister assisted the game’s opening goal in the 35th minute, flicking a corner delivery to the back post, where it was met and converted by Man United’s Lisandro Martinez.
Although Argentina were the heavy favorites, Ecuador kept the match close. They missed a penalty on the hour mark but dramatically equalized in the 91st minute.
Fortunately, Mac Allister was spared from playing 120 minutes, as Copa America only extends to extra time in the final if needed, so the match went straight to a penalty shootout.
The 25-year-old was the third spot-kicker for Argentina, and at that point, they were only 1-0 up as Lionel Messi had missed the opener. With composure, Mac Allister sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, slotting his strike brilliantly into the bottom right corner, helping to set up a 4-2 penalty shootout win.
Emi Martinez saved two penalties, earning the highest rating from Argentine outlet TyC Sports, while Mac Allister was second-best with a seven-out-of-ten rating.
They praised that in “Argentina’s worst moment, he stood up and contained the turbulence” and “had the character to put the ball under his sole and think.”
Mac Allister has been integral to Argentina’s success thus far and will again be a key player when they face Canada or Venezuela in the semi-final on July 10.
By reaching this stage of the competition, the 25-year-old has ensured that his holidays won’t start until either July 14 or 15, as Copa America has a third-place playoff.
Alisson and Darwin Nunez will battle for another semi-final spot on July 7 when Brazil meets Uruguay, while Luis Diaz’s Colombia will face Panama on Saturday.
