The Argentine goalkeeper who helped Lionel Messi and Argentina to the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy a few months ago faced horrible luck in a Premier League match against Arsenal. Emiliano Martinez, who helped Argentina achieve glory in December 2022, scored an unfortunate own goal to help Arsenal earn three points.
Aston Villa faced Arsenal in an early kick-off on Saturday, February 18, 2023. The Gunners needed a win to maintain their hunt for the Premier League title. However, they had the worst start possible as Ollie Watkins scored for Villa early on.
Bukayo Saka equalized for the Gunners but former Liverpool man Phillipe Coutinho restored the lead for Villa. The two teams went into the break with Villa leading 2-1.
Near the hour mark, former Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko restored parity. He scored from a fantastic low strike that fired into the bottom right corner.
𝗔 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲! 🤯
Emiliano Martínez scores an unfortunate own goal ⚽
Gabriel Martinelli then scores with the Villa keeper up for a corner ⚽#BBCFootball #AVLARS pic.twitter.com/KhqIctx2iJ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 18, 2023
90 minutes were up and Arsenal was looking at a fourth consecutive winless game in the league. However, January signing Jorginho came up with a thunderous strike in the 90+3rd minute that hit the woodwork. Fortune favored Arsenal as the ball hit Martinez on the back of the head and rolled in for an all-important goal for the Gunners. Gabriel Martinelli scored a fourth in the 90+8th minute to help Arsenal go back to the top of the table.
Emiliano Martinez was key to Lionel Messi and Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2022 success
Martinez did everything possible for a goalkeeper to help in a tournament win. He started all seven games for his country at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and kept four clean sheets.
The keeper had career-defining moments throughout the World Cup. He made the saves that made it possible for Argentina to win the coveted trophy.
In the quarter-final, Argentina faced the Netherlands. It seemed to be a comfortable win for the South Americans as they led 2-0. However, substitute Wout Weghorst got an unlikely brace to take the match into extra time and then penalties. Martinez saved the first two Netherlands penalties and gave the Dutch a mountain to climb. In the end, the Dutch were not equipped to do so and succumbed to defeat.
Emiliano Martínez will be remembered for his penalty shootout heroics in this World Cup final but this last-gasp save to deny Randal Kolo Muani was the moment that changed everything for Argentina. pic.twitter.com/06kVSZyDDE
— Ryan Taylor (@RyanTaylorSport) December 18, 2022
Later, Martinez’s biggest moments came in the final against France. In the dying embers of extra time when the scoreline was 3-3, Randal Kolo Muani was one-on-one with Martinez. It was destined to be a goal, however, Martinez kept it out. He saved another penalty in the shootout to guide Argentina to glory. Martinez was adjudged the Golden Glove winner for the tournament.