Copa America Semifinal 2024 - Argentina VS Canada (Messi’s 109th goal)

 Argentina is historically one of the powerhouses in international football, with a rich tradition and numerous accolades. They have won the FIFA World Cup twice (in 1978 and 1986) and have produced some of the game's all-time greats like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

Canada, while not as renowned in football compared to Argentina, has been making strides in recent years and has a growing football culture. The Canadian national team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup once (in 1986) and has shown improvement in regional competitions like the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

A match between Argentina and Canada would likely see Argentina as the favorites due to their experience, talent pool, and track record in international competitions. However, football can always be unpredictable, and Canada could present a challenge with their determined play and emerging talents.

Match of Copa America semifinal-Argentina VS Canada

Lionel Messi found himself in the perfect position and with a delicate touch of his famed left foot, he secured his first goal of this summer's Copa America tournament.

With this goal, Messi and Argentina now stand on the brink of another tournament victory.

In the early stages of the second half, Messi netted an unconventional goal, while Julián Álvarez contributed in the first half as Argentina clinched a 2-0 victory over Canada on Tuesday night in their Copa America semifinal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“Unbelievable what this team has achieved, what the Argentine national team has accomplished,” Messi remarked post-game. “This win adds even more significance to all the finals that I and the rest of the older group were part of.”

Lionel Messi and Argentina are on the verge of a historic achievement, aiming to match Spain as the only nations to secure three consecutive major titles.

Following their 2-0 victory over Canada at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Messi expressed awe at his team's accomplishments, praising the resilience of Argentina's national squad. Julián Álvarez opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, deftly maneuvering past Moïse Bombito and slotting the ball past goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau for his ninth international goal.

Messi extended Argentina's lead in the 51st minute, redirecting a shot from Enzo Fernández off Crépeau's face from close range. This marked Messi's first goal of the Copa America tournament and his 109th international goal overall. With 28 goals in his last 25 matches for Argentina and 14 in Copa America history, Messi stands just three goals shy of the record for most goals in the tournament.

Reflecting on his goal, Messi admitted uncertainty about the shot's trajectory before reacting instinctively. The victory extends Argentina's unbeaten streak to 10 games as they look forward to their upcoming Copa America final in Miami Gardens, Florida, where they will face either Uruguay or Colombia.

"This journey is precious, and we must savor every moment," Messi remarked, mindful that these occasions may be among his final battles on the international stage.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni emphasized the team's focus on winning rather than statistical achievements, aiming to replicate Spain's success of winning the 2008 and 2012 European Championships surrounding their 2010 World Cup victory.

Despite facing challenges such as injuries and adverse playing conditions during the Copa America, Messi acknowledged the tournament's competitive nature and the physical demands it places on players. The match drew a crowd of 80,102 spectators, predominantly supportive of Argentina.

For Canada, which faced logistical and physical challenges throughout the tournament, coach Jesse Marsch highlighted the team's need for continued development and depth to compete at higher levels. Star player Alphonso Davies departed the match in the 71st minute due to injury, further impacting Canada's performance.

Looking ahead, both Argentina and Messi harbor hopes of returning to MetLife Stadium for the 2026 World Cup final, leaving the door open for future achievements and possibilities.

Last few years (H2H) Argentina and Canada 

Argentina and Canada have faced each other twice since 2010. In those encounters, Argentina emerged victorious on both occasions, scoring a total of 7 goals at an average of 3.5 goals per game. Canada, in contrast, did not win any of these matches.

Looking at their head-to-head history, Argentina has a perfect Asian Handicap Win% of 100.0% against Canada, indicating their dominance in these matchups. Interestingly, the Total Goals Over% stands at 0.0%, suggesting that these games have tended to have fewer goals scored.

In their recent performances, Argentina has won 2 out of their last 5 matches, drawn 1, and lost 2, with an average of 2.0 goals scored per match and conceding 0.4 goals per match on average. Their Asian Handicap Win% over this period is 80.0%, while the Total Goals Over% is 20.0%.

Canada, on the other hand, won 1 match, drew 3, and lost 1 in their last 5 outings. They have averaged 0.4 goals scored per match and conceded 0.6 goals per match. Similar to Argentina, Canada also has an Asian Handicap Win% of 80.0%, but their Total Goals Over% is 0.0%, indicating matches with fewer goals.

These statistics provide a snapshot of the competitive history and recent form of Argentina and Canada, offering insights into their performances leading up to their next encounter.

Copa America Final Match 

The Copa America final is scheduled for Sunday in Miami, with Argentina set to compete for another chance to solidify its soccer dominance. The opponent will be determined after Wednesday's semifinal between Colombia and Uruguay.

As the reigning World Cup champions, Argentina aims to secure back-to-back Copa America titles. This potential victory would mark their fourth major international championship within a span of three years, including their triumph in the 2022 Finalissima against the 2021 Euro champions, Italy.