Lautaro Martinez scored the extra-time winner as defending champions Argentina defeated Colombia 1-0 to win a record 16th Copa America title on Sunday night.

Inter Milan forward Martinez blasted home a 112th-minute strike to settle a dour encounter at the Hard Rock Stadium that saw Argentina captain Lionel Messi exit in tears during the second half after suffering an ankle injury.

Kick-off for the South American football showpiece was delayed by 82 minutes after crowd trouble before the game blamed on unruly unticketed fans.

The win was the third straight major tournament title for Argentine following their 2021 Copa victory and their triumph in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

There were tears before the celebrations though with Messi going off injured in the 66th minute watching the rest of the game distraught on the bench, while there was an emotional farewell for Angel Di Maria in his final game for the national team.

For Colombia, whose only title came in the 2001 Copa America, it was a disappointing night when little seemed to work for Nestor Lorenzo’s team.

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There was chaos around entry to the stadium for fans, with organisers blaming supporters for trying to enter without tickets while fans blamed the lack of an efficient entry system to the venue.

The scenes were alarming with some fans needing medical attention for heat exhaustion but after the decision to suddenly throw open the gates, with no checks on those entering, the situation was largely resolved and the game finally went ahead.

The Argentine fans thought they had grabbed a winner in the 75th minute when Tagliafico found Gonzalez in the box, who beat Vargas with a low drive but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Little changed in extra-time with a half-chance from Miguel Borja after a flick from Jorge Carrascal but the game was settled by a worthy winner.

Leandro Paredes won the ball in midfield for Argentina with a perfectly timed tackle, found Giovani Lo Celso whose first-time pass was perfect for the on-running Martinez who confidently fired home the winner.

The Star