Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez concluded his international break in a disappointing style as Argentina were beaten by Colombia in a World Cup qualifier.
Argentina came into their match against Colombia with six wins from seven in World Cup qualifying as they sat top of the table.
Sadly, Colombia would hand them their second defeat as goals from Yerson Mosquera and James Rodriguez saw Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran get the better of Emi Martinez.
It was a disappointing evening for Villa goalkeeper Martinez, who couldn’t help Lionel Scaloni’s side extend their winning run to 13 matches after beating last night’s opponents in the Copa America final.
- READ MORE: What the Colombian media said about Jhon Duran after his side get the better of Emi Martinez
How Emi Martinez reacted after Argentina’s shock defeat against Colombia
Whilst losing is something Martinez rarely experiences at club or international level, defeat against Colombia didn’t come at much of a cost, as Argentina still top the standings by two points.
The South American giants only need to finish in the top six to qualify for the World Cup, so there is nothing to worry about in that regard, but the Villa goalkeeper was still left angered by the result.
In the aftermath of the defeat, he was captured shaking the hand of Duran but then punched the camera after it zoomed in on him.
This reaction from Martinez is understandable as the World Cup-winning shot-stopper has enjoyed unparalleled success for the national team since making his debut in June 2021.
During his three years between the sticks, Villa’s gloveman has only lost three games in 47 appearances; Saudi Arabia’s famous victory in the 2022 World Cup, Uruguay’s 2-0 win in November 2023 and Colombia’s 2-1 success on Tuesday.
Following a rare defeat in international colours, Martinez must quickly put that loss behind him and focus on matters at club level.
Aston Villa’s upcoming fixtures
Aston Villa have taken six points from a possible nine in the Premier League. Unai Emery’s men sit seventh in the league table and have a favourable fixture to come against Everton on Saturday.
The Toffees form has been horrendous, losing each of their three games in the league, so Villa will be sensing blood in this contest.
After hosting Everton, Villa will embark on their first Champions League game, which is a trip to Switzerland to play against Young Boys on Tuesday.
Emery’s squad will quickly discover whether they’re capable of competing across all fronts as they play four matches in the space of 13 days, including trips to Wycombe Wanderers and Ipswich Town while hosting Wolves and Bayern Munich.
Many people think that Aston Villa playing in the Champions League will disrupt their league form and make it even harder to finish in the top four however, with a world-class manager at the helm, don’t be shocked if Villa throw up more surprises this season.
