Lionel Messi’s first purpose at this version of Copa América, and his 14th within the event total, sealed Argentina’s 2-0 semi-final victory over Canada in entrance of greater than 80,000 followers at a scorching and humid MetLife Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Argentina captain deflected an Enzo Fernández shot into the web from shut vary early within the second half to seal his staff’s place in Sunday’s final. Messi’s purpose added to a first-half Julián Álvarez strike towards the run of play, which curtailed a spirited opening from Jesse Marsch’s aspect.
La Albiceleste will tackle Uruguay or Colombia within the final on the Miami Dolphins’ Laborious Rock Stadium. The second semi-final takes place in Charlotte on Wednesday evening.
Argentina, the heavy event favourites, had been a lot improved over their quarter-final win towards Ecuador – when Emi Martínez was as soon as once more wanted to get his staff by way of a penalty shootout. Nonetheless, a sterner check will have to be handed for Lionel Scaloni’s staff if the world champions are to reassert their dominance over the Americas.
It was the Canadians who had the higher of the opening exchanges, on a surprisingly sandy and uneven floor. The underdogs’ crisp passing, motion and superior working energy manufactured a number of promising assaults. Nashville SC ahead Jacob Shaffelburg might need executed higher with capturing alternatives on two events inside the first 10 minutes.
Argentina, by comparability, had been much less energetic and ponderous in possession. Messi fired simply large from 18 yards for his staff’s solely effort on purpose throughout the opening forays.
So, it was out of not-a-lot that Argentina took the lead on 22 minutes by way of Álvarez. The Manchester Metropolis ahead latched on to Rodrigo De Paul’s through-ball and evaded the determined problem of Moïse Bombito earlier than scraping the ball by way of the legs of Maxime Crépeau, Canada’s shootout hero within the quarters.
The purpose subdued the Canadians’ assured and fast-paced begin. Their excessive depth urgent evaporated within the minutes earlier than half-time on a sweaty New Jersey night, but the prolific Jonathan David might need restored parity in first-half stoppage time after a poked effort from an extended throw was blocked by Martínez.
Argentina began the second interval assertively and they had been rapidly rewarded when Messi bought the slightest of touches to divert Fernández’s effort past Crépeau within the 51st minute. It was his 14th purpose in 38 Copa América video games and 109th in 186 caps for the nationwide aspect. Messi regarded brighter and fitter than within the quarter-final, when he had solely 32 touches (his fewest since 2011 in a full aggressive sport for Argentina, per Opta) and additionally missed within the shootout.
Surprisingly, he additionally accomplished the complete 90 minutes, which allayed fears in regards to the adductor harm that noticed him rested for the group stage sport in Miami towards Peru. Whereas Messi stayed on to the delight of the followers in attendance, one other Argentina nice, Ángel Di María, was withdrawn, protected within the data his final sport earlier than retiring from worldwide soccer might be Sunday’s final.
Canada continued to chase the sport gallantly, even when star participant Alphonso Davies was compelled to depart with an obvious harm with 20 minutes left. Tani Oluwaseyi might have scored twice in two minutes within the match’s final phases, however squandered each alternatives; first capturing too near Martínez and then heading large with the purpose gaping.
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The defeat ended Canada’s spectacular progress on the event – though they’ll play for third place on Saturday evening. When these two sides met within the event opener – a snug, if imperfect 2-0 win for Argentina final month – few envisioned a semi-final rematch.
Nonetheless, Canada proved themselves to be the category of Concacaf by recovering to progress past Chile and Peru within the group earlier than incomes a last-four berth by way of a shootout win over Venezuela.
It was a testomony to the speedy progress beneath American coach Marsch, who led Canada into a serious event semi-final in simply his seventh sport in cost.
This week, Marsch recalled attending Italy’s semi-final win on the similar location throughout the 1994 World Cup at a time when he was firing within the objectives 50 miles away for Princeton College.
US Soccer officers, amid their messy teaching quagmire and simply two years from co-hosting the World Cup in 2026, might need watched Canada’s progress at this event, with a much less succesful squad, and puzzled “what if?”