Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America semi-final.JUAN MABROMATA/Getty Images
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Canada’s dream of a place in Sunday’s Copa America final was ended by the defending World Cup champion Tuesday night as Argentina advanced with a 2-0 win in East Rutherford, N.J.
It was the identical score to the tournament opener, when Argentina opened the defence of its Copa America crown with a 2-0 win in Atlanta on June 20.
Canada will close out its first foray at South America’s most prestigious international soccer tournament on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C., in the third/fourth-place playoff against the loser of Wednesday’s other semi-final, between Uruguay and Colombia.
Just like he had in the tournament opener, Julian Alvarez opened the scoring between the two teams. The Argentina striker got on the end of a through-ball from Rodrigo De Paul which cut through the Canadian defence in the 22nd minute, and Alvarez – with Argentina’s first shot on target – had little trouble beating Maxime Crepeau in the Canada net.
And it was Argentina captain Lionel Messi who doubled his team’s lead just minutes after halftime. Having threatened to break through on three separate occasions in the first half, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner got a slight touch on a shot from Enzo Fernandez to make sure it beat Crepeau. It was Messi’s first goal at the 2024 Copa America, but his 109th over all for Argentina.
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Canada head coach Jesse Marsch wasted little time shuffling his deck at that point, introducing Ali Ahmed and Liam Miller in the 55th minute in the place of Richie Laryea and Jacob Shaffelburg in hopes of getting back into the contest.
Nine minutes later, Marsch rolled the dice again, withdrawing striker Jonathan David – who had registered Canada’s lone shot on goal – to be replaced by Tani Oluwaseyi. Argentina responded by making its first substitution, with Nicolas Otamendi replacing Nicolas Tagliafico.
But Marsch was forced into his next change, at the 71-minute mark after his captain, Alphonso Davies, appeared to twist an ankle in a challenge from Gonzalo Montiel. Both Davies and Stephen Eustaquio were replaced by Jonathan Osorio and Mathieu Choiniere.
The change almost got Canada something to cheer, as Oluwaseyi twice had chances to get Canada on the board in the last couple of minutes, but his first attempt was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez, while the second was headed wide.
Marsch had chosen to stick with a largely unchanged lineup from Friday night’s quarter-final win over Venezuela, with Ismael Kone in for Jonathan Osorio in midfield the only change.
Right from the off, Canada showed little interest in playing second fiddle to the 2022 World Cup winner. Shaffelburg, the winger who scored Canada’s goal against Venezuela last Friday, took the first two shots of the game inside the first 10 minutes, but was wayward on both.
Not to be outdone, Messi returned fire, driving a shot narrowly wide of Maxime Crepeau’s goal. And the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had another sight of goal with just one minute remaining in the first half, but he again missed the target.
Canada finally registered its first shot on target in first-half stoppage time, with David reacting quickest to a long Alistair Johnston throw-in, but his close-range stab at the ball was unable to beat an alert Emi Martinez in the Argentina goal.
Argentina is the defending Copa champion and tops the FIFA rankings, while Canada is ranked 48th in the world and is making its debut in the tournament.
“They’ve only lost twice in five years,” Marsch said of Argentina.