Argentina’s Lionel Messi is congratulated after scoring his side’s second goal against Canada during a Copa America Semifinal soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 09, 2024. (AP Photo / Adam Hunger)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Lionel Messi and Argentina moved inside one win of joining Spain as the main countries to come out on top for three straight significant championships.
“It’s crazy what this group has done, what the Argentina public group is doing,” Messi said Tuesday night after his 109th worldwide objective fixed a 2-0 triumph over Canada that procured a compartment in this end of the week’s Copa America last. “For the people who stay from the privileged few, it’s past noteworthy that the national team is in another final.”
Julián Álvarez put the Albiceleste ahead in the 22nd moment, controlling a long pass from Rodrigo De Paul, removing two contacts to get from Moïse Bombito and slipping the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau for his 9th worldwide objective.
Messi diverted Enzo Fernández’s given following a poor Ismaël Koné freedom in off the essence of Crépeau from 4 yards in the 51st for his most memorable objective of the competition. Messi has 28 objectives in his last 25 counterparts for Argentina and 14 in Copa America play, three short of the record. He has scored against 38 distinct countries.
“I didn’t know whether Enzo’s ball planned to get in,” Messi said. “It was a reflex.”
Just Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo with 130 has more worldwide objectives than Messi, who turned 37 on June 24. Iran’s Ali Daei had 108 or 109 from 1993 to 2006, with a waiting disagreement regarding whether an objective against Ecuador in 2000 happened in a full global match.
With a triumph on its freedom day, Argentina stretched out its unbeaten streak to 10 games. The Albiceleste look for a record sixteenth Copa title when they play Uruguay or Colombia on Sunday at Miami Nurseries, Florida.
“We need to partake in each snapshot of what we’re are living,” Messi said. “I’m cognizant that these are the last battles.”
Attempting to string together Copa America titles around the 2022 World Cup title, Argentina desires to match Spain’s accomplishment of winning the 2008 and 2012 European Titles alongside the 2010 World Cup.
“These are measurements. I’m not exactly intrigued about it,” Argentina mentor Lionel Scaloni said through an interpreter. “The main thing is to win.”
Making his 38th Copa America appearance, Messi had missed Argentina’s gathering stage finale with a leg injury and was stifled while playing an hour and a half in the quarterfinal prevail upon Ecuador. He was substantially more coordinated and shot only wide in the 12th and 44th minutes.
Messi had 45 contacts and a 79% pass achievement rate.
“They make us pay on little subtleties,” Crépeau said.
MetLife’s transitory grass surface showed up weighty, with water sprinkling and sand springing up during spills.
“It’s has been a truly challenging Copa América,” Messi said, “exceptionally cutthroat, terrible surfaces, over the top intensity.”
Argentina fans assembled in Times Square just before the match and filled the roads on Manhattan prior to making a beeline for MetLife Arena. The horde of 80,102 on a night with a 82-degree temperature and 82% dampness was predominantly favorable to Argentina, with a couple of segments overwhelmed by red-clad Canadian allies.
It was among the greatest games for Canadian soccer, which went 0-6 in its just World Cup appearances in 1986 and 2022 and came out on top for its just significant championship at the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Argentina had beaten Canada 2-0 in the competition opener on June 20.
“The competition found us a smidgen,” Canada mentor Jesse Marsch said. “There’s been heat, there’s been travel, there’s been a great deal of difficulties. … We’re currently at the starting points of our interaction, isn’t that so? Argentina’s perhaps had eight years together, seven years along with this group, thus we want to foster more players that can contribute so we can likewise pivot in competition play, on the grounds that ultimately the rawness and the exhaustion can find you.”
Canada star Alphonso Davies limped off in the 71st moment after his right leg was trapped in a spotless test with Gonzalo Montiel.
“He’s getting a X-ray, so we’re confident he’s alright, yet we don’t know,” Marsch said.
Canada had two shots on track: Jonathan David was defeated by Emiliano Martínez from short proximity in first-half stoppage time, and Martínez made a kick save money on Tani Oluwaseyi in the 89th.
“We began getting messy. We began moving away from the blueprint,” said safeguard Derek Cornelius, who traded shirts with Messi.
While Messi alluded to “last battles,” Scaloni and fans hold out trust Argentina and Messi will get back to MetLife for the 2026 World Cup final.
“We won’t ever be the ones to close the entryway,” Scaloni said. “He can be with our group however long he needs to be.”
Argentina’s Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s second goal against Canada during a Copa America Semifinal soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 09, 2024. (AP Photo / Pamela Smith)
Argentina’s Lionel Messi gestures during a Copa America Semifinal soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 09, 2024. (AP Photo / Adam Hunger)
Argentina’s Lionel Messi is congratulated after scoring his side’s second goal against Canada during a Copa America Semifinal soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 09, 2024. (AP Photo / Adam Hunger)