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What a night at the MetLife Stadium! Julian Alvarez and Lionel Messi were the stars as Argentina glided into the Copa America final with a smooth 2-0 win over Canada. It was a match where the stakes were sky-high, and boy, did it deliver!
Canada kicked things off with a bang, catching Argentina off guard. Jacob Shaffelburg got a crack at the goal not once, but twice, though he couldn’t quite make it count. Messi, seemingly just warming up, missed a shot from afar as the first ten minutes ticked by.
The game truly sprang to life when Rodrigo De Paul, finding some room, teed up Alvarez who gracefully nudged the ball past Maxime Crepeau. That goal not only opened the scoring but seemed to tighten Argentina’s hold on the game. Before we knew it, Angel Di Maria almost capitalized on a rare slip-up from Alphonso Davies, with Messi close to doubling the lead just before the break.
The second half saw Messi do what Messi does best—finding the net for his 109th international goal, a beauty confirmed after a nail-biting VAR check. Alvarez nearly bagged another, stymied only by Crepeau’s quick reflexes. Despite losing their captain Davies to an injury, Canada didn’t back down, with Tani Oluwaseyi nearly heading one in late in the game.
Alvarez? Well, he’s proven he’s not just a club hero but a major player on the international stage too, matching strides with football legends in semi-final scoring.
While Messi’s magical run on the international field might be winding down, he’s not out of surprises yet, marking his 38th different national team goal against. As for Canada, their dream run might be over, but Jesse Marsch has laid a solid foundation for future battles, eyeing the 2026 World Cup.
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