Ecuador have sacked head coach Félix Sánchez after Thursday’s Copa América quarter-final defeat by Argentina, the country’s football federation (FEF) said in a statement.

Ecuador reached the last eight for the third time in the last four editions but were knocked out by the defending champions in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1.

Lionel Messi missed Argentina’s first penalty but was reprieved by goalkeeper Emi Martínez, who saved Ecuador’s first two efforts. Lisandro Martínez had given Argentina the lead 10 minutes before half-time, but Kevin Rodríguez equalised with a superb header in injury time at the end of the second half. Ecuador’s captain Enner Valencia had earlier hit the post from the penalty spot after a handball by Rodrigo De Paul.

Ecuador had trudged through the group stage. They collapsed from a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 to Venezuela in their opening game of the tournament, and if not for a reversed penalty call in their final group stage match against Mexico, they would probably have been sent home before the knockout rounds.

Sánchez, who guided Qatar to their maiden Asian Cup title in 2019, had signed a four-year contract in March last year.

“We thank Felix and his coaching staff for their work and professionalism, and wish him success in his future endeavours,” the FEF said.

The 48-year-old coach said after the game that although they had exited Copa América he was looking forward to September’s World Cup qualifiers where Ecuador are fifth in the standings, adding that he did not want to address his future.

“We managed to advance from the group stage to the knockouts. I have congratulated the players even if we weren’t able to progress,” Sánchez told reporters. “I think they deserve the credit, that is my opinion, but I think that in the next edition of this tournament, we’ll get here with a more experienced team.

“These are very young players. Maybe the results were unfair, but I know that we have to believe in this group of players.”

Argentina will now play either Canada or Venezuela in the semi-final on 9 July.