Copa America 2024: Defending champions Argentina book their place in yet another final after defeating Canada 2-0 in semifinals

Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez score for Argentina.

After facing each other in the tournament curtain-raiser, defending champions Argentina locked horns with underdogs Canada in the first semi-final of Copa America 2024 at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

Canada started the match on a positive note, with their attacking unit displaying early signs of a threat to Argentina’s goal. However, Argentina’s initial patient approach soon came to fruition when a perfectly timed through ball from Rodrigo De Paul was clinically finished by Julián Álvarez to break the deadlock and give his side a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.

In response, Canada tried to slow down the pace of the game in order to nail a perfect line-breaking pass at the right moment in an attempt to bag the crucial equalizer. As the half progressed, the match was brewing into a tactical battle of patience and precision, with both teams seeking to control the tempo of play.

In the dying minutes of the first half, La Albiceleste had the golden opportunity to double their advantage when captain Lionel Messi’s powerful strike narrowly missed the target. With a slender yet important lead, Lionel Scaloni’s side went into the break as the happier of the two teams.

Just minutes into the second half, Argentina cemented their foothold on the match as they extended their lead to 2-0 in the 51st-minute courtesy of Messi’s first goal of the competition, which was perfectly set up by Enzo Fernández and slotted home by the Argentina captain. Despite Canada’s decent game plan, they were unable to compete with Argentina’s quality in the final third.

Jesse Marsch made a few bold substitutions, which included taking off star forward Jonathan David and captain Alphonso Davies for fresher and more energetic legs, for Canada to somehow find a way back into the contest. Towards the end of the game, Canada were extremely unlucky not to score, as two big chances went begging after some great build-up play.

Ultimately, the difference in overall quality proved to be the key difference between the two sides, as Argentina made it to yet another Copa America final after defeating Canada 2-0. La Albiceleste will face the winner of the second semi-final, Uruguay vs. Colombia, in the grand finale of the 2024 Copa America at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

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