Messi and Alvarez Shine as Argentina Reaches Copa America Final
Lionel Messi scored his 109th international intention and first of the event, main protecting champion Argentina over Canada 2-0 on Tuesday night and into the Copa América very last.
FT: 🇦🇷 Argentina 2-0 Canada 🇨🇦
Argentina have reached the copa america final for the second time in a row! 🌟#ARGCAN #CopaAmerica2024 pic.twitter.com/cOYlfr4ucZ
— Match Spoots (@matchspoots) July 10, 2024
Julián Álvarez put the Albiceleste ahead in the 22nd minute and Messi redirected Enzo Fernández’s shot in off goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau within the 51st. Messi has 28 goals in his remaining 25 suits for Argentina and 14 in Copa America play, three shy of the record.
Only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo with one hundred thirty has extra guys’s worldwide goals than Messi, who turned 37 on June 24.
With a victory on its independence day, Argentina prolonged its unbeaten streak to 10 video games. The Albiceleste are seeking for a file 16th Copa identify when they play Uruguay or Colombia on Sunday at Miami Gardens, Florida.
Trying to thread together championships in consecutive Copa Américas around the 2022 World Cup championship, Argentina is making an attempt to suit the feat of Spain whilst La Roja gained the 2008 and 2012 European Championships at the side of the 2010 World Cup.
Argentina fanatics accumulated in Times Square on the eve of the healthy and crammed the streets of Manhattan earlier than heading to MetLife Stadium, web page of the 2026 World Cup final. The crowd of eighty,102 on a night with an eighty two-degree temperature and 82% humidity was overwhelmingly seasoned-Argentina, with only a few sections dominated through purple-clad Canadian supporters.
It become among the biggest video games for Canadian football, which went 0-6 in its best World Cup appearances in 1986 and 2022 and won its handiest important title at the 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup. Argentina had overwhelmed Canada 2-0 in the match opener on June 20.
Canada celebrity Alphonso Davies limped off after his proper leg turned into stuck in a clean undertaking with Gonzalo Montiel and he became changed within the 71st minute.
Making his 38th Copa América look, Messi had missed Argentina’s group level finale with a leg damage and was subdued even as gambling 90 mins inside the quarterfinal win over Ecuador.
He become just huge from the top of the penalty place in the 12th minute after exchanging passes with Ángel Di María, then wide again in the forty fourth and put a chip over the crossbar in first-1/2 damage time.
MetLife’s brief grass floor appeared heavy, with water splashing and sand popping up during dribbles.
Argentina went ahead after Rodrigo De Paul from the center circle played a protracted skip to Álvarez, who took a touch on the top of the arc to control the ball from Moïse Bombito. Álvarez took any other contact to create area from Bombito and from near the penalty spot slipped the ball between the legs of Crépeau for his ninth purpose in 35 worldwide appearances.
Messi scored following a throw-in. He targeted the ball to De Paul, who ran to the quit line and reduce the ball again. Koné’s attempted clearance went to Fernández, who teed up a shot that Messi redirected from simply inside the 6-yard container.
Jonathan David become thwarted by means of Emiliano Martínez from close range in first-half of stoppage time, and Martínez made a kick shop on Tani Oluwaseyi in the 80th.