ATLANTA (AP) — Lionel Messi’s passing brilliance acquired Argentina off to a successful begin within the protection of its Copa America title, overcoming Canada and a poor enjoying floor at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Messi’s by ball led to Julián Álvarez’s Forty ninth-minute aim and the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner assisted on Lautaro Martínez’s 88th-minute rating in a 2-0 victory on Thursday evening.
“It’s been a very long time since we’ve finished this,” Messi stated by a translator, “however we had persistence to retain possession of the ball and it was exhausting to seek out the great open areas.”
Argentina is searching for its third straight main title after successful the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup. Held scoreless within the first half, Argentina outshot Canada 12-3 within the second.
Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez each criticized the grass floor put in at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, one of many websites for the 2026 World Cup.
“The sector was a catastrophe,” Martínez stated. “It looks as if a springboard with the ball leaping. They should enhance this. If not, Copa America will at all times be at decrease stage than the Euro.”
Grass was put in after a Main League Soccer recreation Saturday performed on the standard synthetic turf.
“Thank goodness we received. In any other case it could have been an affordable excuse,” Scaloni stated. “They knew seven months in the past that we’ll be enjoying right here they usually modified the floor a number of days in the past. It’s not an excuse, however this wasn’t a great area. Sincerely, the sphere isn’t apt for these gamers.”
Canadian defender Kamal Miller additionally was important.
“It felt like strolling on a stage, as if it was hole,” he stated.
A crowd of 70,564 attended the opener of the 32-game event. America performs Panama on the stadium on June 27.
With South America’s championship moved to the U.S. for the second time, Messi set a Copa America document together with his thirty fifth match, yet one more than Chile’s Sergio Livingstone from 1941-53. Messi prolonged his personal document together with his 18th help.
Messi, who turns 37 on Monday, created the primary aim when following a throw-in, he headed a cross by the protection for Alexis Mac Allister. The midfielder side-footed a cross to Álvarez whereas crashing into an onrushing goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau about 8 yards out. Álvarez had a nearly empty internet and kicked the ball in over a sliding defender for his eighth aim in 32 worldwide appearances.
Messi prolonged his Copa America document when he ran by the middle of the midfield and rolled a superbly weighted cross to Martínez, who had entered within the 76th minute and slotted it previous Crépeau for his twenty fifth worldwide aim.
“Within the first half we did effectively defensively and we had a few probabilities however at this stage you need to end your probabilities,” new Canada captain Alphonso Davies stated. “For those who make errors they punish you, and that’s what they did right this moment.”
Messi didn’t convert on a pair of fantastic probabilities. Crépeau made a diving cease within the sixty fifth minute and Messi’s try off the rebound was blocked by the pinnacle of defender Derek Cornelius. Messi put a chip broad after he got here in alone on Crépeau within the 79th.
He was shaken up by a sliding sort out from defender Moïse Bombito within the 82nd minute, however remained within the recreation.
“It was bodily intense,” Messi stated.
Argentina performs Chile on Tuesday at East Rutherford, New Jersey, then closes the primary spherical towards Peru on June 29 at Miami Gardens, Florida. Canada faces Peru on Tuesday at Kansas Metropolis, Kansas, and finishes the group stage towards Chile on June 29 at Orlando, Florida.
Fourteen U.S. stadiums are internet hosting the event, which runs by July 14 and ends at Miami Gardens, Florida. Six nations from North and Central America and the Caribbean had been added to the ten South American groups, simply as within the centennial Copa America in 2016.
Gradual begins didn’t forestall the Albiceleste from successful their earlier two tournaments. Argentina opened the 2022 World Cup with a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia and started the 2021 Copa America with a 1-1 draw towards Chile.
Canada made its Copa America debut and performed its first aggressive match beneath American coach Jesse Marsch, employed on Might 13. The Canadians haven’t scored in three video games beneath Marsch.
“Earlier than we performed these three matches, I stated to the crew that it doesn’t matter what occurs within the three matches, we’ve got to come back out of it stronger and develop ourselves and be extra assured and have extra perception,” Marsch stated. “I believe the place we sit proper now, as painful as it’s to know that we let this recreation slip away.”
Argentina began eight gamers who started the 2022 World Cup ultimate victory over France, inserting central defender Lisandro Martínez, left again Marcos Acuña and Leandro Paredes for Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico and Enzo Fernández.
Emiliano Martínez was examined within the forty third minute, when he used his left hand to bat away a bounced header by Stephen Eustáquio.
After the ultimate whistle, Davis exchanged jerseys with Messi.
“Being on the pitch, enjoying towards him was actually a blessing,” Davies stated.
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