As Argentina started defending its Copa America championship with a 2-0 win over Canada on Thursday night, Lionel Messi set up Julián Álvarez for a goal in the 49th minute and then assisted on Lautaro Martínez’s goal in the 88th minute.
Fоllоwing its 2021 Cоpа аmericа аnԀ 2022 WоrlԀ Cup triumpҺs, аrgentinа is аiming fоr а Һаt trick оf mаjоr titles.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve done this,” a translator said to Messi, “but we had patience to retain possession of the ball and it was hard to find the good open spaces.”With his 35th match, Messi broke Sergio Livingstone’s record from 1941–1953, the previous mark held by Chile, and the South American championship was relocated to the United States for the second time. After assisting on 18 goals, Messi surpassed his own record.
On Monday, Messi will turn 37 years old. He set up Alexis MacAllister for the first goal by heading a pass through the defense after a throw-in. About 8 yards out, the midfielder crashed into the onrushing goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau as he side-footed a pass to Álvarez. Álvarez scored his eighth goal in 32 appearances for his national team when the net was almost empty and he kicked the ball past a defender who was falling.
Martínez, who had come on in the 76th minute, scored his 25th international goal after receiving a wonderfully weighted ball from Messi as he raced down the middle of the field, extending his Copa America record. Crépeau made a diving save.
In the second half, Argentina held a 12-3 shot advantage, but Messi wasted two golden opportunities. In the 65th minute, Crépeau made a diving save, and Derek Cornelius’s head blocked Messi’s rebound effort. In the 79th minute, Messi came in alone on Crépeau and missed the mark with a chip.
Ԁespite being stunneԀ by ԀefenԀer Mоïse Bоmbitо’s sliԀing tаckle in the 82nԀ minute, he cоntinueԀ tо plаy in the gаme.
“It was physically intense,” Messi said.
On Tuesday, Argentina will face Chile in East Rutherford, New Jersey. On June 29, they will play Peru in Miami Gardens, Florida, to close up the first round. On Tuesday, Canada will take on Peru in Kansas City, Kansas. On June 29, they will play Chile in Orlando, Florida to round off the group stage.
The tournament will conclude at Miami Gardens, Florida, after 14 days of play in 14 different American stadiums. As with the 2016 Copa America centennial, an additional six North American, Central American, and Caribbean nations were added to the ten South American teams.
The Albiceleste have won their last two titles despite having slow beginnings. In their opening match of the 2022 World Cup, Argentina was defeated by Saudi Arabia 2-1. In their opening match in the 2021 Copa America, they were tied 1-1 with Chile.
After hiring American coach Jesse Marsch on May 13, Canada competed in its first competitive match and made its Copa America debut. Marsch has the Canadians scoreless in their last three games.
The regular artificial turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was replaced with grass following a Major League Soccer game on Saturday.
“It was a poor pitch. Emiliano Martínez, the goalie for Argentina, stated that it was really uneven. We had a hard time with it. As a team, we prefer a slippery, fast surface that suits our style of play.
Eight players from Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winning team were named to the starting lineup. In place of Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico, and Enzo Fernández, center defender Lisandro Martínez, left back Marcos Acuña, and Leandro Paredes were substituted.
When Stephen Eustáquio’s header rebounded off Emiliano Martínez’s left hand in the 43rd minute, Martínez was put to the test.