Copa America semifinal: Lionel Messi will start against Canada, says Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni

Lionel Messi is seen throughout a coaching session forward of the Copa America semifinals against Canada.
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Lionel Messi will not be stopped by a leg damage and will play in Argentina’s Copa America semifinal against Canada on July 9 night time.

Messi has been coping with a proper leg drawback for the reason that group stage win over Chile on June 25. He missed the first-round finale 4 days later however performed the whole match within the quarterfinal victory over Ecuador final Thursday.

“Leo is good. He will be playing tomorrow,” Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni said Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

At 37, Messi has 13 Copa America goals and is four behind the record shared by Argentina’s Norberto Méndez and Brazil’s Zizinho but hasn’t scored in this year’s tournament.

“It’s an easy decision for me,” Scaloni said. “It’s a fairly honest decision: I ask him how he feels. If he says I’m not good,’ then he will play the last 30 minutes. When he’s available, he will play.” Seeking a record 16th Copa America title, Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the June 20 tournament opener when Messi set up second-half goals by Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez.

“We didn’t do well enough with Messi last match. He was able to run free at our goalkeeper too much,” stated Jesse Marsch, the American employed as Canada’s coach in May. “We all know he is the best participant to ever play the sport.” Argentina outshot Canada 19-10, together with 9-2 on the right track, and had 64% possession.

“It’s more of (an) advantage that we were able to play against them than it was for them to play against us,” Marsch stated.

Both groups are coming off quarterfinal wins on penalty kicks. Canada, an invited visitor from North America, defeated Venezuela.

In the opposite semifinal, Uruguay performs Colombia on Wednesday night time in Charlotte, North Carolina. The championship is Sunday at Miami Gardens, Florida.

Argentina will have 4 days’ relaxation, another than Canada, however each groups are coming off 90-minute matches. Tournament laws name for further time for use provided that wanted within the remaining.

Argentina is searching for to win its third main title after the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup and to equal the feat of Spain, which received the European Championship in 2008 and ’12 together with the 2010 World Cup. The Albiceleste are tied with Uruguay for many Copa America titles with 15.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has received 4 straight shootouts, against Colombia within the 2021 Copa semifinals, vs. the Netherlands within the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals and against France within the remaining, then vs. Ecuador final week.

Martinez, 6-foot-5, always shuffling his toes and a chatterbox attempting to distract opponents, saved eight of 18 pictures, stopping Colombia’s Davinson Sánchez, Yerry Mina and Edwin Cardona; the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis; France’s Kingsley Coman; and Ecuador’s Ángel Mena and Alan Minda.

Canada was eradicated within the group stage of its solely World Cup appearances in 1986 and 2022. It received the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup after gaining the title of a predecessor match, the 1985 CONCACAF Championship.

“We’re playing against the best team in the world,” stated Cyle Larin, Canada’s profession chief with 29 targets. “We have a lot of speed and power, but I think over those days we’ve been together we’ve been growing.”