ATLANTA (AP) — Lionel Messi’s passing brilliance bought Argentina off to a successful begin within the protection of its Copa America title, overcoming Canada and a poor taking part in floor at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Messi’s via ball led to Julián Álvarez’s Forty ninth-minute purpose and the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner assisted on Lautaro Martínez’s 88th-minute rating in a 2-0 victory on Thursday night time.
“It’s been a very long time since we’ve carried out this,” Messi mentioned via a translator, “however we had persistence to retain possession of the ball and it was onerous to seek out the nice open areas.”
Argentina is searching for its third straight main title following 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 sphere was a catastrophe,” Martínez mentioned. “It looks like a springboard with the ball leaping. They should enhance this. If not, Copa America will at all times be at decrease degree than the Euro.”
Grass was put in following a Main League Soccer sport Saturday performed on the standard synthetic turf.
“Thank goodness we received. In any other case it might have been an inexpensive excuse,” Scaloni mentioned. “They knew seven months in the past that we’ll be taking part in right here they usually modified the floor a couple of days in the past. It’s not an excuse, however this wasn’t a superb subject. Sincerely, the sphere just isn’t apt for these gamers.”
Canadian defender Kamal Miller additionally was essential.
“It felt like strolling on a stage, as if it was hole,” he mentioned.
A crowd of 70,564 attended the opener of the 32-game match. The USA 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 report along with his thirty fifth match, yet one more than Chile’s Sergio Livingstone from 1941-53. Messi prolonged his personal report along with his 18th help.
Messi, who turns 37 on Monday, created the primary purpose when following a throw-in, he headed a move via the protection for Alexis Mac Allister. The midfielder side-footed a move to Álvarez whereas crashing into an onrushing goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau regarding 8 yards out. Álvarez had a just regarding empty internet and kicked the ball in over a sliding defender for his eighth purpose in 32 worldwide appearances.
Messi prolonged his Copa America report when he ran via the middle of the midfield and rolled a wonderfully weighted move to Martínez, who had entered within the 76th minute and slotted it previous Crépeau for his twenty fifth worldwide purpose.
“Within the first half we did nicely defensively and we had a few probabilities however at this degree it’s a must to end your probabilities,” new Canada captain Alphonso Davies mentioned. “Should you make errors they punish you, and that’s what they did immediately.”
Messi didn’t convert on a pair of wonderful 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 huge following he got here in alone on Crépeau within the 79th.
He was shaken up by a sliding deal with from defender Moïse Bombito within the 82nd minute, however remained within the sport.
“It was bodily intense,” Messi mentioned.
Argentina performs Chile on Tuesday at East Rutherford, New Jersey, then closes the primary spherical in opposition to Peru on June 29 at Miami Gardens, Florida. Canada faces Peru on Tuesday at Kansas Metropolis, Kansas, and finishes the group stage in opposition to Chile on June 29 at Orlando, Florida.
Fourteen U.S. stadiums are internet hosting the match, which runs via 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.
Canada made its Copa America debut and performed its first aggressive match beneath American coach Jesse Marsch, employed on Could 13. The Canadians haven’t scored in three video games beneath Marsch.
“Earlier than we performed these three matches, I mentioned to the staff 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 mentioned. “I feel the place we sit proper now, as painful as it’s to know that we let this sport slip away.”
Argentina began eight gamers who started the 2022 World Cup closing victory over France, inserting central defender Lisandro Martínez, left once more 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, taking part in in opposition to him was really a blessing,” Davies mentioned.
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