2024-06-29 13:00:45
With an explosive Lionel Messi within the second half, world champion Argentina efficiently started the protection of the Copa América title by beating Canada 2-0, within the opening of the United States-2024 version this Thursday in Atlanta.
Forwards Julián Álvarez, within the forty ninth minute, and Lautaro Martínez, within the 88th, had been chargeable for the targets on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which was wearing mild blue and white in entrance of the huge presence of 70,564 spectators.
“We knew it was going to be like this. We knew what Canada was able to. It was a recreation like we anticipated, very robust, very bodily, particularly within the first half, there have been few areas. Fortunately we discovered one thing shortly within the second half and we had been in a position to play a little bit higher,” stated Messi after the victory.
Regardless of the nice begin to the match, Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni complained in regards to the poor situation of the pitch and blamed the unevenness of the grass for his staff’s efficiency.
“It is a good factor we received, however you’ll be able to play soccer on this pitch,” stated the Albiceleste coach.
«We now have identified for seven months that we’re going to play right here they usually modified the grass from artificial to grass two days in the past. I am sorry, it is not an excuse, nevertheless it’s not a area to play soccer,” Scaloni claimed firmly, concurrently his gamers.
The Albiceleste, continental champion in Brazil-2021, is searching for its sixteenth crown within the Americas to change into the staff with probably the most titles within the historical past of the competitors, an honor that it now shares with Uruguay with 15 trophies every.
The primary date of Group A shall be accomplished on Friday with the Pacific Traditional between Chile and Peru, which shall be performed on the AT&T Stadium in Arlington (Texas, south-central) from 00:00 GMT on Saturday.
“Once we had been in a position to execute our tactical plan, we made it very tough for Argentina. We let this recreation slip away after we had sure issues below management. Now now we have to concentrate on Peru (Tuesday 25 in Kansas Metropolis), one other actually robust recreation,” lamented Canada coach Jesse Marsch.
– Area with out specificity –
Patiently however with nice readability, Argentina took possession of the ball from the very starting of the match, and on this state of affairs Leandro Paredes emerged as a driving drive within the center with lengthy passes to interrupt the very reasonable and orderly Canadian traces.
And the vertigo that the Albiceleste delivered to the sport was such, profiting from the passes of the AS Roma midfielder, that in simply 10 minutes he already added three harmful performs within the territory of goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
Paredes tried from mid-range within the fifth minute, after which got here two counterattacks in only one minute, the primary conjured by Crépeau in a one-on-one with Di María and the second by Messi however his shot went broad of the left put up.
Argentina was higher than Canada and moved the ball from one aspect to the opposite, in search of gaps in a protection that was weakened when attacked at pace from the perimeters.
However the world champions allowed themselves a blink in protection and in an tried riot the Canadians might have taken the lead at half-time, if it weren’t for ‘Dibu’ Martínez deactivating a point-blank header from Stephen Eustáquio within the forty second minute, after which Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich midfielder, missed the rebound with a poorly executed shot.
– With the seal of Julián and Lautaro –
The script of the primary half, with Argentina answerable for the match, modified nothing within the second half, and that absolute management was in a position to give them what they lacked within the preliminary stage: the purpose.
Messi rubbed the lamp within the forty ninth minute when he filtered the ball behind the defenders to arrange Mac Allister. The ball was divided within the penalty space after colliding with Crépeau, and there appeared Julián Álvarez to take the rebound to attain 1-0.
The purpose gave peace of thoughts to the world champions and compelled Canada to go away their area, standing meters increased, a delicacy for the attacking pace of Scaloni’s males.
Messi had the second purpose at his ft within the sixty fourth minute after an extended throw-in from ‘Dibu’ Martínez. The Argentine captain outpaced Cornelius, however his shot once more discovered Crépeau nicely positioned.
Canada was emotionally shaken and Messi understood this, and in one other burst of pace within the 79th minute he wasted one other goal-scoring alternative when he rode alone down the fitting and pointed the ball over Crépeau, with such dangerous luck that it kissed the fitting put up.
The Mercedes-Benz, crazed, needed the purpose from the quantity 10, however Crépeau had lowered the curtain on the Argentine star, however didn’t rely on the truth that he would then create one, as he did within the 88th minute, when he arrange Lautaro Martínez, substitute for Álvarez, for the Inter Milan captain to attain the ultimate 2-0.
© Agence France-Presse
