Follow live coverage as Lionel Messi’s Argentina take on Canada in the opening match of the Copa America
Messi always entertains
73′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
One thing I really respect about Messi is his desire to impress and entertain, even at this late stage of his career. It doesn’t always work out.
His breakaway chance several minutes ago should’ve resulted in Argentina’s second goal on the night. Messi tried to chip the Canadian goalkeeper and a defender who had fallen to the ground, but he should’ve just passed into the goal at his near post. Still, the crowd here chanted “Messi! Messi! Messi!.
Messi cheered even after his misses
72′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
It’s rare to see a crowd chant for a player after a miss, but that’s what happened here after Crepeau denied Messi on a 1-v-1 opportunity about seven minutes ago. The Canadian goalkeeper made the initial save, and Messi’s rebound caromed off a Canadian defender and out of danger. Even then, the crowd sang his name as the big screen showed Messi shaking his head in disappointment.
Canada appeal for penalty
70′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Shaffelburg goes down as he attempts to dart past Lisandro Martinez at the edge of the Canada box but no foul is called. Canada are penalized for a foul moments later and their players are livid. The referee has an even bigger reaction though as he tells the Canada players to get away from him!
VAR does check the Shaffelburg-Martinez incident for a penalty but nothing is given, presumably because any foul occurred just outside the box.
Di Maria comes off
68′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Argentina make their first change of the match, bringing Giovani Lo Celso on for Angel Di Maria.
David misses free header
67′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Shaffelburg sends a great ball into the box where David has a free header, but the Lille forward misses the target. That was a big chance for Canada to equalise.
Cornelius makes great play to deny Messi!
65′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Martinez grabs the ball in Argentina’s box and hoofs it downfield where Messi is isolated against one defender. He beats Cornelius and eludes Crepeau before doubling back to chip a shot over the pair, but Cornelius makes a great play to block it!
De Paul booked
61′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
De Paul is penalized for handball and picks up the first yellow card of the 2024 Copa America.
Di Maria goes for goal
55′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Di Maria receives the ball on the corner of Canada’s box. He cuts inside a defender and unleashes a powerful curling shot that just misses high over the bar.
Another chance for Alvarez
51′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Alvarez nearly scores his second goal in a matter of minutes, turning and firing from the center of the box, but Crepeau gets down to push his shot wide of the post this time.
Canada caught napping
50′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Use your throw-ins wisely, kids. You never know when your opponent will take a ten-second mental nap. Canada caught ball-watching on the restart and Argentina makes a series of incisive actions to open the scoring.
How Alvarez scored the first goal of Copa America 2024
50′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Messi slips Mac Allister into the Canada box. Mac Allister takes a touch to elude Crepeau and gets absolutely cleared out by the goalkeeper. The ball comes to Alvarez with the net gaping and the Manchester City forward can’t miss from there!
GOAL: Argentina score first!
49′ Argentina 1-0 Canada
Argentina take the lead!
Second half is underway!
46′ Argentina 0-0 Canada
With Argentina finally back on the pitch the second half has begun!
No changes for either side as we resume action in Atlanta.
Argentina really drawing this out
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
We’re set to hit 20 minutes for this halftime, instead of the usual 15 or so.
Argentina definitely icing its opponent going into the second half. Canada and the referees were out of the locker room for more than three minutes before Argentina emerged from the tunnel. Canada players passed the ball around and huddled on the sideline as they waited for their opponents.
Argentina keeping Canada waiting
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
The Canadian players are on the field ready to go for the second half, but no sign of the Argentina squad just yet.
Canada stifling partisan crowd
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
This crowd is wildly pro-Argentina but you wouldn’t have known it through that half. With a structured defensive setup and Canada owning the better of the chances, they took the crowd out of the match early on.
A lot of the questions leading into this one centered on how Canada would deal with the intensity the crowd could bring. So far, they’re answering those questions. A little more composure and thoughtfulness in their buildup and Canada may be onto something special.
Canada holding Messi and Co off scoresheet
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
For a third consecutive match, Jesse Marsch’s Canada has held its opponent scoreless through the opening 45 minutes. Whether or not the second half more closely resembles the first instance (a 4-0 shellacking against the Netherlands) or the second (a scoreless draw with France) remains to be seen.
As John mentioned earlier, it will be vital for Canada to yield more from their slaloms through Argentina’s defensive shape. Still, encouraging for a team still acclimating to a new coach on the fly.
Canada halftime player ratings
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
- Crepeau: 7. Made a really smart stop to deny Di Maria from close-range.
- Davies: 6. Kept fairly quiet by his incredibly high standards.
- Cornelius: 7. A strong start and has fared well alongside Bombito.
- Johnston: 6. A little slack in possession on more than one occasion.
- Bombito: 7. Kept busy but has looked solid so far.
- Stephen Eustaquio: 6. Should have scored with his first-half header.
- Millar: 6. Very tidy in possession.
- Buchanan: 5. Spurned arguably Canada’s best chance of the half.
- Kone: 6. Has looked bright.
- Larin: 5. Has really struggled to link play, Canada need him to be more involved.
- David: 5. Like Larin has pressed well but needs to get into the game.
Argentina halftime player ratings
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
- Emi Martinez: 7. Made a superb save to deny Eustaquio.
- Acuna: 6. Showed some frustration and hasn’t got forward too well.
- Molina: 6. Having a good battle with Davies.
- Romero: 7. No player has made as many tackles as the Tottenham man.
- Lisandro Martinez: 6. Looked to go long but misplaced a couple of passes.
- De Paul: 7. A complete nuisance, as ever.
- Paredes: 6. A little sloppy with the ball at feet.
- Mac Allister: 6. Has been buzzing around but not nearly as involved as usual.
- Messi: 6. A constant lurking menace but his radar has been off so far.
- Di Maria: 6. Should have scored with an early chance that Crepeau saved.
- Alvarez: 5. Barely had a sniff.
Canada lead in expected goals
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
At halftime Argentina have 66 percent possession but trail Canada in expected goals, 0.56 to 0.73. Most of the game has been played in midfield but Canada have been much more successful at breaking into the box during their attacking flurries.
HT: Argentina 0-0 Canada
Big chances for both sides but no goals yet. Canada are holding their own but will Argentina make them pay for not taking their chances?
Plenty of action still to come in the second half!
First-half stoppage time
45+1′ Argentina 0-0 Canada
Just one minute added on to the end of the first half.
Canada impressing
45′ Argentina 0-0 Canada
Really, truly admirable how Canada is playing against a far superior opponent. It has to be said – they’ve had the better of the chances all half. It also has to be said that they’ll likely pay for not finishing them.
Martinez denies Eustaquio!
43′ Argentina 0-0 Canada
Larin whips a cross into the Argentina box where Eustaquio has a free header, but he hits it straight at Martinez in net!
Davies has a chance on the follow-up but skies his effort well off target.
Messi dropping deep not a good sign for Argentina
40′ Argentina 0-0 Canada
Messi is now dropping to collect the ball in front of Argentina’s center backs to lead the build-up himself — always a sure sign of frustration with his teammates.
Canada need to capitalize on their chances
34′ Argentina 0-0 Canada
Oh, Canada. That’s three or four chances around the six-yard box created from Davies’ side in the last few minutes with nothing to show for it.
The ease with which they’re getting into the cutback zone has to be encouraging though.
Davies getting more and more involved
33′ Argentina 0-0 Canada
After a slow-ish start, we’re finally seeing Alphonso Davies get more and more involved and use his pace to drive towards goal. It goes without saying, but Canada need more of that to have any chance of catching Argentina on the break.
