Targets from Messi and Alvarez ship the world champions and Copa America winners into Sunday’s remaining in Miami.
Defending champions Argentina booked their place within the Copa America remaining after objectives from Julián Álvarez and Lionel Messi gave them a 2-0 win over Canada.
Argentina will face both Uruguay or Colombia in Sunday’s remaining in Florida, a match that might symbolize the final probability to win a title for a number of members of the primary group, together with Messi, Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi.
“Let’s take pleasure in what we’re experiencing as a group, as a gaggle. It isn’t straightforward to be in a remaining once more, to compete once more to be champions,” Messi stated after Tuesday’s semi-final in New Jersey.
“I am residing it like I have been residing every thing recently: having fun with it so much and being conscious, like Fideo (Di María) and Ota (Otamendi), that these are the final battles.”
ARGENTINA WINS AND ADVANCES TO THE FINAL 🇦🇷 picture.twitter.com/gpqtpwu0oO
— CONMEBOL Copa América™️ ENG (@copaamerica_ENG) July 10, 2024
Argentina have received a file 15 Copa titles and reached the ultimate six occasions within the final eight editions, however Canada induced them actual issues within the first 20 minutes: Jacob Shaffelburg twice shot broad from promising positions.
Nonetheless, after absorbing the early stress, Argentina took the lead when Rodrigo De Paul performed by to Alvarez, who weaved between two defenders to attain with a neat end within the twenty second minute.
Argentina, the 2022 World Cup champions and primary within the FIFA rankings, step by step took management and Messi had an opportunity to double the lead within the forty fourth minute when he created house within the field with some neat footwork earlier than firing broad.
Canada practically equalised in opposition to the run of play in first-half stoppage time when Jonathan David received in entrance of his marker to obtain a protracted throw-in, however his close-range shot went straight at goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Messi had suffered a muscle harm earlier within the match however appeared revitalized on a sizzling and humid evening at MetLife Stadium.
He scored Argentina’s second purpose within the 51st minute, protruding his boot to deflect Enzo Fernández’s shot from the sting of the realm previous Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
The purpose put Messi in fifth place on the all-time Copa America scoring charts, alongside Peru’s Paolo Guerrero and Chile’s Eduardo Vargas, with 14.
His 109th purpose for Argentina additionally allowed him to overhaul Iran’s Ali Daei and take possession of second place within the all-time worldwide scoring charts. Messi is barely behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 130 objectives for Portugal.
Regardless of their two-goal lead, Argentina endured a nervy finish to the match when Canadian substitute Tani Oluwaseyi examined Martinez with a pinpoint shot within the 89th minute earlier than heading a header broad a minute later.
For Canada, the loss caps a outstanding run by which they defied expectations and outperformed higher-ranked CONCACAF rivals Mexico and the USA, their fellow 2026 World Cup hosts.
“They’re one of the best group on the earth, however on the identical time we had our possibilities early within the sport,” midfielder Stephen Eustaquio instructed Canadian broadcaster TSN.
“If we had transformed one in all our possibilities, the story of the match would most likely have been completely different. Getting up to now, to the quarter-finals of the Copa America, is a good achievement.”