Argentina has secured its place in the Copa América 2024 final after a convincing 2-0 victory over Canada in the semifinals on July 9. The win extends Argentina’s impressive streak and positions them as strong favorites to clinch their third consecutive major tournament title.Julián Álvarez opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, while captain Lionel Messi added the second goal in the 51st minute. This marked Messi’s first goal of the tournament and his 109th for Argentina in his 186th appearance. Notably, Messi has now equaled the record for most goals in the Copa América tournament with 14, alongside Paolo Guerrero and Eduardo Vargas.The victory was built on a strong team performance, with Rodrigo De Paul playing a pivotal role in the first goal. Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, made several key saves to preserve the clean sheet.Despite the win, Canada, under the leadership of Jesse Marsch, showed valiant effort and initiative, particularly in the early stages of the match. Marsch praised his team’s performance, stating they had built a strong foundation and were ahead of where he thought they would be, considering he took the job just seven weeks ago.Messi, reflecting on the victory, said, “I’m living it like I did in the last Copa América, in the last World Cup… It’s the last battles and I’m enjoying them to the maximum”. The 37-year-old captain’s performance and leadership continue to be crucial for the team.The final is scheduled for July 14 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where Argentina will face either Uruguay or Colombia. A victory would secure Argentina’s 16th Copa América title, potentially making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
Key points
- Argentina defeated Canada 2-0 to reach the Copa América 2024 final.
- Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the tournament, equaling the record for most Copa América goals with 14.
- Argentina will face either Uruguay or Colombia in the final on July 14 in Miami.
Contradictions👾There is a discrepancy in the reporting of who scored the first goal.
Some sources state it was Julián Álvarez, while others credit Messi with opening the scoring.
