But Lionel Messi and his teammates once again brought to light the hierarchy of a team with an insatiable ambition for titles.
Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez scored the goals at the ends of the second half and defending champion Argentina defeated 2-0 on Thursday Canada in an inaugural chapter of the Copa América that was marked by the opportunities that Messi gave away.
Álvarez opened the scoring in the 49th minute and Martínez scored in the 88th, shortly after coming on for his strike partner.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game, very physical. In the first half there was little space,” Messi commented. “Luckily we found the goal quickly in the second half, but it was still complicated.”
Supported by overwhelming favoritism, the Albiceleste arrived in the United States in search of a hat trick of international titles, linking a pair of continental crowns with the World Cup they won in Qatar a year and a half ago.
Lionel Scaloni’s team dominated the proceedings at the Mercedes-Benz stadium against a debutant team in the CONMEBOL competition.
But it was a grind that at times became uncomfortable due to the fast play and speed of the Canadians, whose star Alphonso Davies generated a couple of dangerous actions on the right. Likewise, Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez batted away a Stephen Eustáquio header near halftime.
“This team creates scoring situations and defends like lions,” Scaloni summarized.
In the second Copa América to be staged in the United States, Messi set a tournament record by playing his 35th match, one more than Chilean goalkeeper Sergio Livingstone between 1941-53.
Messi, who will turn 37 on Monday, scored the first goal. After a side kick, the Inter Miami attacker made a filtered pass to Alexis Mac Allister. Taking a strong hit from goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau’s sweep, Mac Allister gave way for Álvarez to finish with a right touch.
It was Álvarez’s first goal with the national team since his double in the victory against Croatia in the semifinals of Qatar 2022. The Manchester City attacker reached eight goals in 32 games with the Albiceleste.
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AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Messi also participated in the second score, opening space in the center of the field and leaving the ball for Lautaro’s 25th goal with the national team.
Argentina will play its second Group A match against Chile on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Chile debuts this Friday against Peru in Arlington, Texas.
At the start in Atlanta in front of a crowd filled with his compatriots, Messi had a game in which he was instrumental in the two goals. But he also missed two goals in two one-on-ones with Crépeau after the first goal. The “10” took a strong blow in the 82nd minute due to a hard sweep by defender Moïse Bombito, but the game ended.
“We have the patience to have the ball, to move it from one side to the other,” said Messi. “Most rivals play differently against us, we must maintain control.”
With the same actors and game plan as Qatar, Scaloni maintains the backbone of the team. Eight of the starters from the victory against France in the 2022 World Cup final took to the field. The variants were center back Lisandro Martínez, left back Marcos Acuña and midfielder Leandro Paredes for Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico and Enzo Fernández.
“The important thing is that the team always responds, no matter what the game is like,” said Scaloni.
MESSI RECORDS
Apart from becoming the player with the most appearances in the history of the cup, Messi is now the first Argentine to participate in seven editions of the Copa América, each one having been played since 2007 in Venezuela. He shared the record with Américo Tesoriere (1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1925). He is now tied with the Bolivians Milton Melgar and Carlos Borja, as well as the Uruguayan Héctor Scarone, while the Ecuadorian Alex Aguinaga and the Uruguayan Ángel Romano lead with eight.
TOTALLY FULL
The Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the venue built for the city’s NFL franchise, was sold out, with more than 70,000 spectators.
He also displayed a newly installed grass that was placed after the MLS match between local Atlanta United and Houston Dynamo last Saturday.
“The pitch was a disaster, they put bread on top of a synthetic and it looked like a trampoline,” ranted Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
TRIUMPHAL DEBUT
Scaloni broke the spell of his debuts in major tournaments, now victorious.
This did not prevent Argentina from becoming champion. Scaloni opened the 2022 World Cup with a 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia and debuted in the 2021 Copa América with a 1-1 draw against Chile. He was also defeated in the debut of his first official tournament, a 2-0 loss against Colombia in the 2019 Copa América.
Canada played its first official match under coach Jesse Marsch, who was hired on May 13. He has not scored a goal in three games under the American tactician.
Source: AP
