Argentina secured their spot in the Copa America quarterfinals as the first team, thanks to a late goal from Lautaro Martinez that sealed a 1-0 win against Chile in Group A on Tuesday. The defending champions had to endure until the 88th minute for the decisive goal. After a Lionel Messi corner, Giovani Lo Celso's shot was parried by Chile's Claudio Bravo, but Martinez was there to capitalize on the rebound. The goal was confirmed following a lengthy VAR check for offside. Argentina leads the group with six points after two games, followed by Canada in second place with three points after their 1-0 victory over Peru earlier on Tuesday. Chile and Peru each have one point. 'These matches are always tough, and we must continue treating them with the same intensity, as they will all be challenging,' Martinez commented to TyC Sports. 'The game was tight, with Chile often deploying a five-man line... but we're pleased to have secured the three points, which was our initial goal.' The defeat prolongs Chile's winless streak against Argentina in the Copa America to 30 matches. Although Chile has won the Copa twice, they have never defeated Argentina in regulation time at the tournament, only besting them in penalty shootouts in the 2015 and 2016 finals. The match at MetLife Stadium started cautiously, but Argentina soon dominated. Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Gonzalez both tested Bravo with weak shots, while Rodrigo de Paul narrowly missed with a swerving shot. Messi, influential in Argentina's opening win over Canada, nearly scored in the 36th minute with a powerful shot that struck the post. Argentina continued to press in the second half, but Alexis Mac Allister missed a great chance from a precise Messi free kick. Rodrigo Echeverria had Chile's first shot in the 72nd minute, which was saved by Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine goalkeeper was largely untested until he made two more saves in quick succession. Just as it seemed Argentina might regret their missed opportunities, substitute Martinez's goal secured the win and a top-two group finish. In stoppage time, Argentina had a chance to extend their lead in a two-on-one break, but Martinez shot straight at Bravo. 'We have a tough group, very evenly matched, and we had chances to score,' Bravo noted. 'The next opponent will be as tough as these two.' In the group's final matches on Saturday, Argentina faces Peru in Miami, and Chile plays Canada in Orlando.