Argentina see off Canada to reach Copa America final

• Published On: 10 July 2024 at 18:18

Lionel Messi scored as world champions Argentina defeated Canada 2-0 on Tuesday to go to the Copa America final, where they will compete for a third consecutive major trophy.

The defending Copa champions will meet the winners of Wednesday's semi-final between Uruguay and Colombia in what promises to be an exciting final in Miami on Sunday.

The 15-time Copa champs put on their greatest performance of the tournament in front of a sell-out crowd of 82,500 at MetLife Stadium, and like their 2022 World Cup victory, they appear to be peaking at the right time.

"The truth is that it's crazy what this group has done, what the Argentina national team has been doing," Messi told TyC Sports after scoring his first goal of the tournament.



"It is difficult for us to reach another final and contend for the title of champions. I'm experiencing the same emotions that I did during the previous Copa America and World Cup."These are the final battles, and I'm enjoying them to the fullest," said the 37-year-old.

Canada, which stunned many by reaching the final four in their first Copa America appearance, deserves a lot of respect for their performance, but Messi and his team were simply too good.

"I think the tournament caught up with us a little bit," said Canada's American coach, Marsch, who realised his players were tired midway through the first half.


"Eventually the physicality and fatigue can catch up with you and that was a big part of what happened with us tonight," said the coach.

Marsch's team had progressed by attacking teams with high-energy football from the start, but after an early opportunity for left-winger Jacob Shaffelburg, who fired wide after cutting in from the flank, the South Americans gained control and never let go.

Angel Di Maria, the veteran wide-man playing in his final tournament for his country, was seeing plenty of ball down the right, and he provided an early warning of his threat when he found Messi with a ball inside that the striker flashed just wide of the goal.

However, it was Rodrigo De Paul who made the breakthrough in the 22nd minute, picking up the ball on the halfway line, taking a quick peek up and lofting the ball over the top to Julian Alvarez.

The Manchester City attacker, who was recalled to the starting lineup ahead of Lautaro Martinez, made a clever first touch that moved him away from Moises Bombito and provided him just enough space to drive the ball home.

- The classic triangle.

The superb triangle of Di Maria, Messi, and De Paul posed a constant menace to Canada's back line, with the former threatening a second with a chip from the right that flew over the bar.


Argentina's confident build-up play shows coach Lionel Scaloni's trust in his team, which is well-drilled but never allows organisational solidity to trump inventiveness.

Two minutes before halftime, former Real Madrid winger Di Maria played a slide-rule pass to Messi, who created space for a right-footed effort that went narrowly past of Max Crepeau's right-hand post.

Marsch, Canada's American coach, had a lot of work to do at halftime to get his side back on equal footing, and any strategy went out the window when the world champs doubled their lead just six minutes later.

The great De Paul returned the ball from the byline to Enzo Fernandez, whose side-foot drive was guided home by Messi in front of the goal.

Canada had hoped that Messi was offside, but the VAR review revealed that defender Derek Cornelius had put him onside.

With a two-goal lead built, Argentina was prepared to sit back and conserve energy, inviting the Canadians to challenge them.

It wasn't until the last minutes that Canada was able to test Emiliano Martinez, with replacement Tani Oluwaseyi pushing the keeper into action following some shoddy defence.

But it was a straightforward victory for Scaloni's men, who are one win away from a record 16th Copa America title.