Messi scores as Argentina beat Canada to enter Copa America ultimate | Soccer Information

Targets from Messi and Alvarez ship the world champions and Copa America holders into Sunday’s ultimate in Miami.

Defending champions Argentina booked their place within the Copa America ultimate after targets from Julian Alvarez and Lionel Messi gave them a 2-0 win over Canada.

Argentina will face both Uruguay or Colombia in Sunday’s ultimate in Florida, a match that might characterize the final shot at silverware for a number of senior squad members together with Messi, Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi.

“Let’s get pleasure from what we’re experiencing as a nationwide workforce, as a gaggle. It isn’t straightforward to be in a ultimate once more, to compete once more to be champions,” Messi stated after Tuesday’s semifinal in New Jersey.

“I’m residing it as I’ve been residing all the pieces these days: having fun with it very a lot and being conscious, because it occurs to Fideo (Di Maria) and Ota (Otamendi), that these are the final battles.”

ARGENTINA WINS AND ADVANCES TO THE FINAL 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/gpqtpwu0oO

— CONMEBOL Copa América™️ ENG (@copaamerica_ENG) July 10, 2024

Argentina have received a joint-record 15 Copa titles and reached the ultimate six occasions prior to now eight editions however Canada brought about them actual issues within the opening 20 minutes, Jacob Shaffelburg twice taking pictures huge from promising positions.

After absorbing the early strain, although, Argentina went forward when Rodrigo De Paul performed via Alvarez, who ghosted in between two defenders to attain with a tidy end within the twenty second minute.

Argentina, 2022 World Cup winners and primary in FIFA’s rankings, step by step took management and Messi had an opportunity to double their lead within the forty fourth minute when he created house within the field with some silky footwork earlier than lashing his effort huge.

Canada almost snatched an equaliser in opposition to the run of play in first-half stoppage time as Jonathan David sneaked in forward of his marker to get on the tip of a protracted throw, however his close-range shot was hit straight at goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Messi had struggled with a muscle damage earlier within the match however appeared revitalised on a scorching and humid night on the MetLife Stadium.

He scored Argentina’s second within the 51st minute, protruding a boot to divert Enzo Fernandez’s shot from the sting of the realm previous Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.

The aim moved Messi to joint fifth within the all-time Copa America scoring charts, degree with Peru’s Paolo Guerrero and Chile’s Eduardo Vargas, on 14.

His 109th aim for Argentina additionally noticed him surpass Iran’s Ali Daei to take sole possession of second place on the all-time worldwide scoring charts. Messi trails solely Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 130 targets for Portugal.

Regardless of their two-goal cushion, Argentina had a nervy end to the match as Canada substitute Tani Oluwaseyi examined Martinez with a crisp shot within the 89th minute earlier than directing a glancing header huge a minute later.

For Canada, the defeat ends a exceptional run wherein they defied expectations and carried out higher than their higher-ranked CONCACAF rivals Mexico and the USA, their fellow co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup.

“They’re one of the best workforce on this planet, however on the identical time we had our probabilities to start with of the sport,” midfielder Stephen Eustaquio advised Canadian broadcaster TSN.

“If we scored certainly one of our probabilities, the story of the sport would in all probability have been totally different. To get right here, the final 4 of the Copa America, it’s a giant achievement.”