Soccer - Defending champions Argentina in the Copa final again
The dream of defending the title at the Copa America lives on in Argentina after reaching the final. In the semifinal, the South Americans won against Canada in a rematch of the opening game with a 2:0 (1:0) score and qualified once again for the final, which takes place on Sunday (local time).
Football superstar Lionel Messi, whose participation in the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford near New York City was uncertain due to a leg injury until the last moment, started the game and scored the first goal of the tournament for his team.
In the final, the Albiceleste will face the winner of the second semifinal match between Colombia and Uruguay. Canada, which participated in the South American championship as a guest for the first time, will play for third place on Saturday.
Julian Alvarez scored the first goal of the match in the 22nd minute. The striker was set up by De Paul and scored past Canada's goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau. With the 1:0 lead, it went into halftime. Shortly after the restart, Argentina scored the second goal. Enzo Fernandez took a shot, which Messi deflected. In the quarterfinals against Ecuador, the 37-year-old missed a penalty kick. The World Cup winner advanced despite a 4:2 loss. Hundreds of Argentine fans gathered at Times Square in New York City with drums and singing before the game to support their team.
Argentina aims to continue their Title defense in the Copa América final, scheduled for Sunday in New York City. Following a 2-0 semifinal victory against Canada, Lionel Messi and his team secured their entry into the final after a rematch of their opening-game encounter. With Julian Alvarez scoring the first goal in the 22nd minute and Enzo Fernandez contributing with a deflected shot for the second, Argentina showed dominance. Meanwhile, Canada will have a chance to secure a third-place finish on Saturday, following their semifinal loss. Amidst the excitement, thousands of Argentine supporters filled Times Square in New York City, drumming and singing in anticipation of their team's final match.
