Sports

Argentina beat Canada 2-0 to reach Copa America final

Published

8 months ago

July 10, 2024

Argentina beat Canada 2-0 to reach Copa America final

Defending champions Argentina reached the final of the Copa America after goals from Julian Alvarez and Lionel Messi gave them a 2-0 win over Canada in Tuesday’s semi-final in New Jersey.

Argentina have won a joint-record 15 Copa titles and reached the final six times in the past eight editions but Canada caused them problems in the opening 20 minutes, Jacob Shaffelburg twice shooting wide from promising positions.

After soaking up the early pressure Argentina went ahead when Rodrigo De Paul played through Alvarez, who ghosted in between two defenders to score with a tidy finish in the 22nd minute.

The 2022 World Cup winners Argentina gradually took control of the match and Messi had a chance to double their lead in the 44th minute as he created space in the box with silky footwork before lashing his effort wide.

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Canada nearly snatched an equaliser against the run of play in first-half stoppage time as Jonathan David sneaked in ahead of his marker to get on the end of a long throw, but his close-range shot was hit straight at goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Messi then scored Argentina’s second in the 51st minute when he stuck out a boot to divert Enzo Fernandez’s shot from the edge of the area past Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.

The goal moved Messi to joint fifth in the all-time Copa America scoring charts, level with Peru’s Paolo Guerrero and Chile’s Eduardo Vargas on 14.

The 37-year-old’s 109th goal for his country also saw him surpass Iran’s Ali Daei on the all-time international scoring charts. Messi is second behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 130 goals for Portugal.

Despite their two-goal cushion, Argentina had a nervy finish to the match as Canada substitute Tani Oluwaseyi tested Martinez with a crisp shot in the 89th minute before directing a glancing header wide a minute later.

Argentina will take on either Uruguay or Colombia, who meet on Wednesday, in the Copa America final in Florida on Sunday.

Argentina beat Canada 2-0 to reach Copa America final

Related Topics:Argentina Canada Copa America

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Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

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17 hours ago

March 17, 2025

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Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

Newcastle United clinched their first domestic trophy in 70 years with a stunning 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday. Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak sealed a historic win, igniting celebrations among the club’s passionate supporters.

Defender Burn put Newcastle ahead just before halftime, powering in a header from a corner to send the black-and-white-clad fans into raptures

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Buoyed by their lead, Newcastle doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute when Swedish forward Isak coolly slotted the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Premier League leaders Liverpool pulled one back deep into stoppage time through Federico Chiesa, but it was too little, too late as Eddie Howe’s side held firm to lift their first major domestic trophy since 1955.

Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

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EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

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1 day ago

March 16, 2025

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EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

Chelsea’s challenge for a place in next season’s Champions League faltered in a toothless 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday as Fulham beat Tottenham 2-0.

Mikel Merino scored the only goal of a disappointing contest at the Emirates as Arsenal pulled clear in second place and to within 12 points of runaway leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea badly missed the presence of the absent Cole Palmer due to illness as they meekly surrendered to a damaging defeat for their hopes of a top-four finish.

The Blues remain in fourth for now but have five sides from Manchester City in fifth to Aston Villa in ninth within four points of Enzo Maresca’s team.

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Arsenal have struggled badly for goals since the loss of Kai Havertz to a season-ending injury has forced midfielder Merino into a makeshift centre-forward role.

The Spanish international proved the match winner from a corner as he looped a header from Martin Odegaard’s delivery inside the far post on 20 minutes.

Chelsea barely threatened but were nearly gifted a route back into the game when David Raya fumbled Marc Cucurella’s shot and the ball trickled wide.

At the other end, Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez made a brilliant stop to prevent Merino doubling Arsenal’s lead with the best effort of the second half.

But the game petered out with little goalmouth action as a limp performance will do little to quieten the critics of Maresca’s style of play among the Chelsea support.

EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

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Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup

Published

2 days ago

March 16, 2025

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Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup

Chelsea edged past Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final to win their first trophy under Sonia Bompastor and keep their bid for a historic quadruple alive.

Bompastor has exceeded expectations since succeeding Emma Hayes as head coach last May, winning 26 of her 28 games.

Mayra Ramirez netted an early opener for Chelsea, bundling in a rebound that bounced off City skipper Laia Aleixandri at Derby County’s Pride Park.

Aoba Fujino levelled after the break with a stunning strike, but an own goal by Yui Hasegawa restored Chelsea’s lead and ended their three-year losing streak in League Cup finals.

“It feels great, for sure. I’m really happy,” Bompastor said.

“From the beginning of the season we said we are going to be ambitious and when you have the opportunity to win a first title that is always really positive so I am really happy for that reason and I am really proud of my players.”

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City, who were playing their first game under interim boss Nick Cushing following Gareth Taylor’s sacking five days ago, dominated play after Chelsea’s opener.

But they were unable to find a way through during the first half as Chelsea’s solid centre-back paring of Millie Bright and Nathalie Bjorn stood firm, limiting City’s chances to ambitious efforts from the edge of the box.

Chelsea appeared to regain control after the interval, but Fujino’s powerful strike flew past Hannah Hampton and into the roof of the net before Hasegawa’s own goal handed momentum back to Bompastor’s side.

They remain in the hunt for the Champions League and FA Cup, while they have all but secured a sixth successive Women’s Super League (WSL) title, sitting eight points clear at the top of the table with six games remaining.

This final marked the start of an intense 12-day battle, with Chelsea and City playing each other four times in a row.