【FULL MATCH】 Argentina vs. Canada | Copa América 2024
Transcript
00:00:00history. It's a pretty short list to draw from. Winning games to qualify for their two
00:00:05World Cup appearances. As you saw in the pregame, they won the Gold Cup of 2000 against Columbia.
00:00:11There were 6,000 people in the stands that night on a rainy night at the L.A. Memorial
00:00:16Coliseum. This is a major tournament semifinal with 80,000 fans here in the stadium outside
00:00:22New York and millions watching across the continent. This is as big a stage as Canada's
00:00:28men have been on. Even when they got to the World Cup, they lost all three games in Qatar
00:00:34and in Mexico in 86. Can they take advantage of a moment that has captivated their country?
00:00:41Relative to population, they have been getting NFL primetime telecast-level audiences for
00:00:47these games in Canada. Their nation's tuning in. Can they pull off the shock against the
00:00:53best team in the world? It is warm. It is humid. We are underway. It is Argentina as
00:01:09ever in the sky blue and white. It is Canada wearing red. It was very easy for Argentina
00:01:15through the group stage. They never trailed. They never conceded a goal. Yes, they had
00:01:20score in the first half, but it was always in control. Even that was the case last Thursday
00:01:26in Houston against Ecuador. Until it wasn't. They scored in stoppage time. They very nearly
00:01:30won the thing before Argentina prevailed in a penalty shootout. It has been a harder goal
00:01:35for Canada. They lost that opener to Argentina. They took advantage of each of the next two
00:01:40games seeing an opponent being sent off. They scored just one goal, but it was enough in
00:01:45the win against Peru. They held on by the skin of their teeth against Chile to set up
00:01:49a game on Friday in Dallas with Venezuela. Had the lead, had tons of chances to add to
00:01:54it before conceding a wild long-distance goal, but prevailing in a penalty shootout for the
00:01:59first time in over 20 years. Here they are in a rematch from opening night in the semifinal
00:02:05against the world champions and the Copa America champions. You mentioned how insanely humid
00:02:09it is. You're seeing a ton of moisture come up on the field already. What do you think
00:02:14this thing is going to look like, particularly in contrast to the game these guys played
00:02:17two and a half weeks ago? The other thing is the moisture coming up off the field, but
00:02:20also you can see some of that sand that's underneath that grass there, and that's going
00:02:24to slow the ball down a lot. And I think that favors Canada because it limits Argentina's
00:02:29ability to play the ball quickly and quickly play these little combination balls and allows
00:02:33them to shift defensively. Canada are going to set up in this similar type of press and
00:02:38system that they played in the first match against Argentina. They'll look to pick off
00:02:42the ball and play quick in transition. Right now, Argentina just feeling it out and what
00:02:46it's going to look like. The biggest mistake Canada made in the first time they played
00:02:50it was leaving too much space in behind, and already the line is a little bit deeper. They
00:02:53don't want Argentina spinning in behind and finding that space. They want to keep the
00:02:57game in front of them. Let's see how long it takes Argentina to try to turn up the tempo
00:03:01of this game. Look at that ball getting stuck right there under the feet. And this control
00:03:04touch by Romero that Schafferberg was able to pick up. Larin back inside Ismael Coney,
00:03:08the one lineup change for Canada tonight from the quarterfinal. Argentina able to recover
00:03:13and sweep it back to their hero as ever, Emiliano Martinez, and it's going to be knocked
00:03:17out for an Argentina throw. Now, Leonel Scaloni, and you saw that moment he and Jesse Marsh
00:03:24had. He was suspended for the group stage finale. As Messi gets the cheers, he's going
00:03:28to pick it back up. Missed control by Alphonso Davies. Hands it off wide to Di Maria. His
00:03:33cross looking to return for Messi was intercepted by Derek Cornelius. And DePaul almost dug
00:03:40it back out. Jonathan David has it poked away. Schafferberg picks it up. Look at all
00:03:44the pressure from Argentina. Can they below to open up to the near side? But it sure looked
00:03:50like Jesse Marsh was, if not apologizing, at least acknowledging his comments in the
00:03:55stir they caused in Argentina. Richie Larea now, Natalia Fico and able to be cut off.
00:04:02Is that going to be out over the end line? It is. Canada have a quarter, three minutes
00:04:06in. Jesse Mars loves it. He likes that because that first ball was out of pressure. Then
00:04:10they just spun it down into the channel. Good running from Larea. And then, as ever,
00:04:15Alexis McAllister, the man getting back, putting out those fires, but takes that bump off him.
00:04:20It'll be an opportunity here for Canada for early. They got a chance to play this one
00:04:23quickly. Messi's a little slow to get out to put some pressure, but still wouldn't be
00:04:29surprised to see Canada take this one short. Jacob Schafferberg has been involved in both
00:04:33goals. Canada have scored. Scored one himself, assisted the other. In-swinging corner from
00:04:40him and sends along. He's going to stay in. It's Enzo Fernandez who got his head to it.
00:04:46It's Rodrigo de Paul who picks it up, and it's Alistair Johnson who prevents the quick
00:04:49breakout. One of the things Jesse Marsh said to us when we spoke to him last night is that
00:04:59feeling around the Canada camp is that Canada teams from the past would have crumbled mentally
00:05:04against Venezuela. Losing the lead the way they did, going to a shootout. And remember,
00:05:07it was just days removed from seeing Dejan Buchanan, one of their star players, break
00:05:12his leg in practice. But he has been so thrilled with the mental strength that they've shown.
00:05:17Can they show it again tonight? And what is once again, Buenos Aires North at this Copa America.
00:05:22Aaron fights his way through. Schafferberg's on the far side. The ball got slowed up.
00:05:30Jacob Schafferberg trying to find an angle, blasts it over. First shot of the game is Canadian.
00:05:35It was good work initially from Kyle Aaron to get the ball with his back to goal, able to turn and
00:05:41find a quick ball to Schafferberg, who has been one of the standout players for Canada in this
00:05:46tournament. But I'm going to end up talking a lot about this throughout this game. That ball,
00:05:51again, it got caught up. It slowed down. It's stuck under Schafferberg's feet. He's trying to
00:05:55get the shot off. And you just wonder, are the players going to take an extra touch or two to
00:05:59make sure it's in the type of spot that they want? It's not zipping around that ball. It's going to
00:06:04be a slower type of play in this match. And for Messi, back out to Enzo Fernandez, all the way
00:06:10wide now. Bruno Montiel, one of the lineup changes tonight, rolls that one in. Looking to turn it
00:06:17inside. Felt some contact from Alphonso Davies. And our referee tonight, Pierre Amasa, waving his
00:06:24finger. The long switch meant for Lehren is popped up in the air by Taliafico.
00:06:47Crowded and fouled.
00:06:55You mentioned the absence of Tayshaun Buchanan a week ago with that injury for Canada. For more on
00:07:02that part of the story, as we look at the penalty shout, let's say hi for the first time tonight to
00:07:05Jenny Taft down on the field. Jenny? John, thanks so much. Well, obviously, such a loss for Canada,
00:07:12losing Tayshaun Buchanan in that fashion at training. What I can tell you, he is here in
00:07:17attendance. He's in the team suite. He had a successful shirt surgery last Wednesday and
00:07:23didn't want to miss out on this opportunity to support his team. Like you mentioned, Jesse Marsh
00:07:27saying the team came together, everyone visiting him at the hospital and teammate Hal Lehren saying
00:07:33we will miss him on the field, but we are playing for him tonight. We're certainly playing for him
00:07:40on Friday when Jacob Schaffelberg scored the early goal to give him the lead. He held up
00:07:43Buchanan's number 17 jersey in honor of him as Alistair Johnson off balance trying to head that
00:07:48away. Again, whatever combination of sand and moisture is just flying up on some of these
00:07:53balls off of this natural grass surface. Can Schaffelberg get on the run? That touch is going
00:07:56to work around the outside of Montiel. Schaffelberg will run at Montiel. Schaffelberg on the deck
00:08:02rolls it wide, but another early chance for Canada. And it's coming off of just how quickly
00:08:07Canada go from a turnover from Argentina in their own end. A fantastic ball into Schaffelberg,
00:08:13and there's a little touch that he gets around Montiel. Look at this as it comes into a great
00:08:17ball from Eustaquio. That touch skips by Montiel. Now all of a sudden he's 1v1. He's got runners in
00:08:23the box and it's a combination of a shot and a cross. Again, it gets stuck under his feet as
00:08:28he's trying to get that strike off, doesn't get full contact. And I think just Schaffelberg in
00:08:34some of these key moments right now either rushing the tempo a little bit, not taking an
00:08:37extra beat, and making sure he's got good contact. But Canada created a couple of good opportunities
00:08:42so far. And it's the same conversation we had Thursday night. Remember Ecuador had the first
00:08:45three shots of that game in the first 16 minutes and another that didn't produce a shot. Canada has
00:08:51underperformed their expected goals value more than any other team. They have been wasteful on
00:08:57the chances they've had to score just twice. Is it the same thing as that Ecuador game where they're
00:09:01going to rue these missed opportunities if they can't put one of them away? That's your point.
00:09:05They almost did again. Venezuela took them to go to penalties and they would have been kicking
00:09:09themselves if they didn't finish that game in regulation. Alejandro Dominguez, the president of
00:09:16Hong Kong and the Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol who are putting on this Copa America.
00:09:23We expect to see him tomorrow night in Charlotte for the other semi-final
00:09:27between Colombia and Uruguay. They're surely watching this game in their hotels in North Carolina.
00:09:35You see just two prior meetings including that opening game was over two weeks ago.
00:09:41The Washington team has won both. Canada yet to score a goal. And that one will
00:09:45feed her all the way out. It's Ronaldo, the real Ronaldo, the original Ronaldo
00:09:51who is here in New Jersey tonight.
00:09:56He's going long. Shafferberg knew he was offside.
00:10:19It's definitely a different type of atmosphere is when we were here for the Chile game two weeks
00:10:23ago. You had a lot more sort of what we would think of as the traditional supporters. A lot of
00:10:26chanting and singing. I wonder if it's just the crowd as well that wants to see their team get
00:10:34going a little bit here and give them something to start cheering about. It's been a slow start
00:10:38for Argentina. That's a great ball around the corner there. McAllister for Tagliafico for
00:10:43Julián Álvarez. Tagliafico deck behind the play. Advantage plate. Álvarez, Depaul let it go. Montiel
00:10:51put it right at Lorea. And now what's the outlet in these moments for Canada?
00:10:55David and Laron can't combine to create a counterattack.
00:11:02One of the conversations behind that play as well with Rodrigo Depaul going over to the referee
00:11:06about that foul. He played advantage. He did the right thing. But that's how Argentina can
00:11:11find some success. It's that first pass or two through the midfield, out of pressure, out the
00:11:17other side where they can get matched up 1v1. Because right now the same thing as the first
00:11:21game. And it looks very similar shapewise from Canada. Compact in the middle. They don't want
00:11:25to allow Messi to have space to get turned in behind their midfield running at the back line.
00:11:29And then they want to do this. They've gotten out of pressure. Almost Kone trying to find Alfonso
00:11:33Davies in the attack. But as soon as they win possession, Canada, just watch. Schaffelberg
00:11:38takes off. David takes off. Lorea. They want to try to play vertical and very quickly.
00:11:43Johnston in for Lerner. Healthy touch for Jonathan David. Trying to run inside Taliafico.
00:11:48Stood up there by Luzon for Martinez. And it breaks down.
00:11:53In this area of the game, Jesse Marsh really felt that they did have the advantage.
00:11:56Getting their athleticism. Getting their speed. In the open spaces in those moments. Di Maria
00:12:01from Messi. Running at Cornelius. Back in for Lionel Messi. Puts the shot wide.
00:12:09And here's a great example with Canada out of shape. They turn the ball over. Di Maria spins
00:12:18wide. That leaves space inside for Lionel Messi. Now you have to get 2v1. Mustachio
00:12:22is dropping a little bit deeper there to try to get pressure. He's coming out of that midfield
00:12:26position. Messi holds his run. Has space at the top of the box. Bambito comes out and goes through
00:12:31his legs. And just drives it past that near post. And we had a game high 6 shots taken against
00:12:40Canada in the opener. Game high 5 chances created as well. It was a very different looking Messi
00:12:45that we saw Thursday night. Just a one shot against Ecuador. It was 2 weeks ago in this
00:12:50building. He suffered a little injury to the right to the groin area. Top of the quad.
00:12:57As Cristian Romero goes down.
00:13:03To your point John, just 32 touches for Messi in that game against Ecuador. Which is the lowest
00:13:08in a match since he's got 90 minutes for Argentina since 2011. And we were talking about he didn't
00:13:13quite look himself. Didn't have that burst of speed. Wasn't as involved in the play. And even
00:13:18after the game, after he missed the penalty, he talked about being angry. And you wonder what
00:13:22version of Messi you're going to see tonight. Already he's got 6 touches through, 13 minutes.
00:13:27He's going to pick his spots as this game starts to open up and the space is there.
00:13:31But I expect to see him being a little bit more proactive than he was against Ecuador.
00:13:35Because the conversation has been, okay Argentina have to learn to play without him. He's going to
00:13:38retire eventually. They have other ways they can beat you. But is it actually the case against
00:13:43Ecuador? Did they get lucky in that game that Ecuador didn't beat him in the final seconds?
00:13:46Right. It was still a game that Argentina dominated. But
00:13:50we'll get back to that in a second here as we come to Argentina. They dominated that game.
00:13:53They just didn't finish off chances. And that has been the way in which they've played throughout
00:13:58this tournament. Hasn't been the best version of Argentina. But yet they still keep winning.
00:14:02They keep rolling. And it's always a great sign of a good team that can win while playing ugly.
00:14:06But this is normally the part of the tournament now where they start to really ramp it up. And
00:14:10we saw that in the semifinals of the World Cup. It was 3-0 against Croatia and the game against
00:14:15France. And I'm interested to see what we see as this game goes on here against Canada.
00:14:45Great defensive work there. Coming back to poke it away.
00:14:54Line for Di Maria.
00:15:01Di Maria once more. McAllister running to the center. It was meant for Messi.
00:15:04And it's an important sliding interception from Derek Cornelius.
00:15:10Already just there. Great work from Kone. I thought that was going to be a foul. He's
00:15:13not going to get it. He's pretty curious. That was right in front of the fourth official as well.
00:15:21Yeah, it's hot. And late.
00:15:28Di Maria on the turn. Montiel to the outside of him.
00:15:32Zola Montiel mostly coming off the bench at this tournament. But give him a start tonight.
00:15:37Here's Messi to pick it up. Messi flipping it forward for Julian Alvarez. Too far.
00:15:42Maxim Kripos there.
00:15:46Last couple of minutes. Lionel Messi interestingly was making those little runs in behind three
00:15:52different times. He saw Cornelius coming inside with him spun and was looking to run beyond the
00:15:57last defender. That time drops off. Now he gets on the ball because of that running. He's opened up
00:16:02some space for himself. But I just wonder if they feel watching the tape against Canada the last
00:16:07they can still find room in this game by running beyond that back line. I wonder how we're going
00:16:12here at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Lionel Messi still has not scored a goal in the three games
00:16:17he's played at Copa America. The last time he went four appearances for Argentina without a goal
00:16:23was five years ago. 2019 at Copa America. That includes the semifinal loss to Brazil.
00:16:29The only time Argentina have ever lost a semifinal match at a Copa America or a World Cup.
00:16:35Messi cuts it back. Finds the space. Clips it in for Alvarez. Knocked away by Eustachio.
00:16:40Johnson had to get rid of it quick. David had to get rid of it quick. There's space there for
00:16:44Kone to run into. Jesse Marsh waving his arms. And now Kone on the run. Laird in the middle.
00:16:48Schauffelberg as well. It slows up. Laird picks it up. He's got Schauffelberg. It's beyond him.
00:16:56Oh, it's a great idea though from Canada. First of all, great ball out of pressure.
00:17:01Running from Kone from the middle of the field. You can see his physical capacity just
00:17:05to open up the legs and run. And then it was a difficult one. It was behind Kyle Laird. So he's
00:17:10trying to find Schauffelberg who had to recycle his run to stay on side. Those little moments
00:17:15though. We're talking about just the early half opportunities that Canada have created here. You
00:17:21don't get many chances against an Argentine defense. You have to start to take advantage.
00:17:24Here they come again. Davies on the run. In for Jonathan David. Can he get back to it? He can.
00:17:29Back to goal. That's behind LeRae's run. Davies who started the play with a tackle.
00:17:35Trying to find space for a shot. Davies blocks. Julian Alvarez for Depaul. Back for Julian Alvarez.
00:17:46And he's trying to catch Maxime Crepeau off his line. He was off his line there and gets lucky
00:17:53that Julian Alvarez missed picks this one just slightly. Great idea from Alvarez because he had
00:17:58a run from McAllister on the left. Crepeau was off his line at the top of his box and he's already
00:18:03been chipped once in this tournament. Listen, Jesse Marsh said to us last night, I'm not teaching
00:18:07these guys to play to not make mistakes. Maxime Crepeau made the right kind of mistake to have
00:18:14that high of positioning that he got beat by Solomon Rondon in that goal. Here's the question.
00:18:20If this is a different type of team, is that just a quick foul? The instant Argentina win that ball
00:18:25and we don't even have a conversation about Crepeau's position. For sure, but I would say it was a
00:18:30wonderful ball by Depaul to find that little slip pass to beat three Canadian midfielders who couldn't
00:18:35even get close to him. So ideally you can get a foul. That's a big part of this game is stopping
00:18:39those plays. LeRae from David. LeRae got around Taddeo Fico. Did he run out of space? He cuts back
00:18:45to cross. The flag comes up. It's out for a goal kick.
00:18:58The second semi-final at the Euros tomorrow on Fox. The Netherlands against England. Who will
00:19:03advance to face Spain in the final? Sunday in Berlin at 2 p.m. Eastern, 11 a.m. Pacific. Live on Fox,
00:19:10Spain's men in the European Championship final less than a year after Spain's women won the World
00:19:16Cup. And it is Spain's men of 2008 to 2012 that have the claim of the best, at least in the modern
00:19:24era, team in men's international soccer when they went back-to-back Euros either side of a World Cup
00:19:30in 2010. That is the level Argentina are trying to reach. If they can win back-to-back Copa
00:19:35America titles either side of that World Cup in Qatar, it would be those two teams thought of
00:19:41as the greatest of all time. Brazil's claim with the three World Cups in four,
00:19:48but they never won a Copa America in the 60s or the 70s with Pele.
00:19:53No discussion that's going to be of Argentina can find a way to get this done if Stockio overhits it.
00:20:05So
00:20:27Fernandez wide it goes for Taliafico. Johnson was late, but he held his ground. He knocked it away.
00:20:31Taliafico helps to win it back with McAllister. Nessie quickly for De Paul. De Paul crossing for
00:20:37Alvarez. Too far in front of him. Taliafico sliding through. Did that ball stay in play?
00:20:43And the flag has come up. It is a goal kick.
00:20:46Here in the Meadowlands, his first Copa America, his third game of this tournament.
00:21:05His first ever international game was Argentina as Copa America champions beating European
00:21:11champions Italy. Remember that game two years ago, the Finalissima. He was also in charge of
00:21:16Argentina's historic World Cup qualifying win at Brazil in November. Great work, Lorea.
00:21:25Romero pulled out of the last second there as Lorea was just trying to draw some contact,
00:21:29and he gives the ball away.
00:21:42Interestingly right now, the build-up for Argentina. Look at Alexis McAllister. He's
00:21:59just off your screen, the bottom left. He's pulling out wide. Julián Alvarez is actually
00:22:03coming into the midfield, and Enzo Fernandez ends up being the deeper player. They're trying to draw
00:22:08the Canadian players, at least in the middle of the field, trying to get them moving and creating
00:22:12a numbers advantage for Argentina in that central area where Messi can come underneath, Alvarez can
00:22:16come underneath, and then they're running behind. So as the game is slow, they're trying to keep
00:22:21those two central midfielders for Canada honest, and if they're not, they're going to get space
00:22:25and turn, and then they've got 2v1 in the wide areas. Like that ball is just a little off there,
00:22:30and they're looking for Di Maria on that first one. That was the right type of pocket that they're
00:22:34looking for. Oh, long for Lorea. He takes a big hit from Taliafico. Jesse March is furious.
00:22:41He wants a whistle. He's not going to get.
00:22:46Let's see if that becomes a theme tonight or not.
00:22:48I'm going to do a turn for different runners. Met for Alvarez. Brings it down.
00:23:03Alvarez rides the challenge. Alvarez scores. Argentina take the lead.
00:23:19Oh, it's the running off the ball from Julian Alvarez, but it's too easy for DePaul there.
00:23:36He gets turned in space, and now you've got everybody from Canada staring at Rodrigo DePaul,
00:23:41and Julian Alvarez says, thank you very much. I can time my run. I'm looking right along the
00:23:46back line. Bombido gets turned inside out. First touch is phenomenal. Gets in behind him,
00:23:51and now he's got the advantage, because if Bombido fouls him here,
00:23:54deny of a goal-scoring opportunity. He's off the field. He pulls his leg out at the last minute,
00:23:59settles himself again, and then just rolls the ball between the legs of Maxime Crempeau for
00:24:04the opening goal for Argentina, and just how quickly the game goes from a slow build-up,
00:24:10methodical, and then boom, it's one pass into DePaul. He gets turned and finds Julian Alvarez,
00:24:16and that was the big key. That was the difference in that first game as well. If you don't have
00:24:20pressure on the ball, you can't have that high line, because the attacking player has the
00:24:24advantage. He finds it there, and the man that was benched in the last game gets the start in
00:24:29the semifinal and delivers to Lionel Scone and Argentina. He scored their first goal in the
00:24:36opening match. That was early in the second half by the time he broke through, and what a great
00:24:42problem it is for Lionel Scoloni to have multiple options in that forward spot, and reach, try to
00:24:48outdo the other, and it was interesting during the celebration as we were watching those replays
00:24:53how many Argentine players came over. Lionel Scoloni actually was on the field.
00:24:57Really big tactical conversation they were talking through there,
00:25:01using it as a hydration break and a little reset timeout.
00:25:07How did Canada respond?
00:25:11Argentina took the lead right about that same time in the game against Ecuador Thursday night,
00:25:15but they couldn't add a second. Johnston, that's the challenge of the callister.
00:25:20Johnston, can he get a cross off? Inside for David, Lawrence touch, knocked away.
00:25:26McCall, taken back by Gambito.
00:25:30And then Johnston looked like he was wrapped up, and this is going to be a free kick for Canada.
00:25:37And this is Miss Callister, can't quite believe that was whistled as a foul.
00:25:42That's going to be a frustrating goal for Canada to concede after what had been a good start,
00:25:46but that's the difference at this level, right? You can defend well for 23, 24 minutes against
00:25:51Argentina and limit them to opportunities, but that one moment that you're not all together,
00:25:56you're not pressing, you're dropping off, you get the high line, and then just that run,
00:26:01killer pass, and boom, you're behind one goal. Now can they work a goal here from a set piece
00:26:06maybe, use this to their advantage to put some pressure back on this Argentine team and level one
00:26:11up? Stronk here fakes it, Davies, hooks it in, and now he got the header out.
00:26:27He's been able to reset backwards for Richie Lorea. Time for Alistair Johnston.
00:26:32Johnston will cross that one in, comfortable catch for Emiliano Martinez, and look at how
00:26:38much Johnathan David is trying to prevent a quick kick out. And the whistle has gone, the play is
00:26:46dead. This is the review of the offside line. What do you think, Leon? In my expert opinion,
00:27:02he's just onside there. Alistair Johnston was a little bit deep, that's the back line,
00:27:08was disconnected. One of the key words coming in for Cannon was balance, and it was the balance
00:27:13between the pressure and something Jesse Marsh spoke specifically to us about in the moments
00:27:18where they got caught in that first match, and that was it, it was that deep running behind,
00:27:22you cannot allow a goal like that and expect to beat Argentina, a play like that, and that's just,
00:27:29it's probably a product again of being defending for the majority of this game without the ball,
00:27:32playing transition, hot day, and just not closing enough space, and the quality of the opponent once
00:27:39again. Not just hot, but the humidity, and there's been a heat advisory here in the New York,
00:27:44New Jersey area, but when it's this humid, you just can't breathe, and that eventually has to
00:27:49wear you down. Do Argentina have the urgency and the intensity to go hunt for more, or will it
00:27:58turn into that Ecuador game, and they're just trying to grind it out?
00:28:10Copa America's second semi-final tomorrow in Charlotte, Uruguay against Colombia,
00:28:14winner of that against the winner of this, Sunday night in Miami. Coverage starts at 7 p.m. Eastern,
00:28:204 p.m. Pacific, on FS1. Colombia tying their own national record, 27 games without a loss,
00:28:26and to defeat two, Argentina, February of 2022.
00:28:32Bambito to track back there on Taliafico. Uruguay in the Copa America semi-final for the first time
00:28:39since 2011. That's the last time they won it in Argentina, 15 titles each. It'll be a terrific
00:28:44game in Charlotte. A terrific final, one way or the other, with the last four that we have at
00:28:49this year's Copa America.
00:29:08Making a big run forward for Cornelius, he comes cross-field instead towards Lorea.
00:29:13Taliafico will test it back to Emiliano Martinez. Decision-making right now for Canada in possession.
00:29:18Argentina's giving them some space and time on the ball, and some of the running off the
00:29:23ball has been really good from Kyle Larin, from Jonathan Davis, Schafferberg constantly testing
00:29:28Montiel, pushing him back. But then when you hit an over-hit ball like that and just waste it
00:29:32straight to Taliafico, you turn possession over, now you're defending again. So, patience. You have
00:29:38to have patience on the ball, and use the possession when you have it on a humid day.
00:29:43With Pete hammering that, it's important to use the ball and to give yourself a little bit of a
00:29:47rest as well in possession.
00:30:17Now dropping deep, trying to start the sequence. Gets it back from Messi, picked away from behind. Cornelius knocks it wide.
00:30:37He's on the run, too far in front of David. Schafferberg picks it back up in the middle.
00:30:47A few times have we been able to hear the Canadian fans. A good thicket of red up to our left of the top deck.
00:31:05Now we're gone. Here in New Jersey, where two years and ten days from now, we'll be watching the 2026 World Cup Final.
00:31:13Remember, this was the site of one of the darkest days in Argentina's history, that 2016 Copa America Final.
00:31:21Crepo gets that away from Alvarez's pressure. The penalty shootout defeat to Chile.
00:31:27Lionel Messi announcing his retirement in the hours after, in the back hallways of the stadium.
00:31:31The third straight summer final defeat for Argentina. How different it feels now.
00:31:38Instead of the serious faces, big smiles on most of the Argentina players at every game of this Copa America.
00:31:44As they walk out, it's Lorea sliding through on Taliafico. That was meant for Schafferberg too far.
00:31:50Di Maria was back to help.
00:31:56It has not felt like an Argentina team at this Copa America that feels an intense amount of pressure right now.
00:32:03How would you compare what you've seen from them as compared to even three years ago at Copa America, when they had one?
00:32:09They just look so confident and comfortable in the way in which they play.
00:32:14And you think about Lionel Scaloni and just the way he's able to seamlessly make changes to a team,
00:32:19and plug and play midfielders, and drop the leading goal scorer in the tournament,
00:32:23bring on another guy who starts for Manchester City, scores a goal.
00:32:27You can probably see a yellow card here, yeah.
00:32:33Jonathan David coming in on Romero, first yellow of the night.
00:32:43And you know, John, I put so much of that down to having won titles with Lionel Messi.
00:32:49It was a team that felt and had so much pressure and expectation to win one for Messi.
00:32:55And they won the Copa America in 21. Then they go into the World Cup and they lose the match against Saudi Arabia.
00:33:01But then how that just flipped the switch, and they went on that incredible run to winning a title.
00:33:05It almost feels like a team that's playing with confidence and with house money,
00:33:08and just keeps saying, we're the best, and we know we're the best.
00:33:11Because Romero's really struggling here. He's still down after that challenge from David.
00:33:15Argentina's bench were hopping up furious about that.
00:33:19And it is number 10, Jonathan David, in the 47th minute.
00:33:25Incidentally, with the differences in yellow card accumulation here at Copa America
00:33:30as compared to the Euros, it's reset after the group stage.
00:33:33So there are a couple of players who, if booked tonight, would be suspended for the final.
00:33:38We've tended in recent years to see tournaments change their yellow card accumulation
00:33:43such that you wouldn't see a player suspended for a final.
00:33:46Look back at the goal.
00:33:49Sometimes it's the best place to go with a finish, through the goalkeeper's legs,
00:33:52because they're trying to make themselves bigger and extend and cover as much space as possible.
00:33:58And then you often just see strikers do this.
00:34:00He has a quick little look-up before Crapo comes charging off his line.
00:34:04He's trying to close down the space.
00:34:06And as he does, the timing of that finish from Julian Alvarez was so good.
00:34:10It wasn't the cleanest of strikes, bobbling a little bit, but it was the right spot.
00:34:13And the timing of the run is what made it so good.
00:34:16And he cued that pass from DePaul.
00:34:19As soon as he sees DePaul turn in midfield and there's no pressure, boom, he makes the run,
00:34:23makes himself available, and then gets in behind just so quickly, that burst of speed.
00:34:28Five holes, they would say.
00:34:31Romero will continue. It goes long quickly.
00:34:34Davis miscontrols it. Di Maria gets there, trying to catch Crapo.
00:34:39Had the look, had the open net, put it over.
00:34:43Just such a great idea from Angel Di Maria.
00:34:48Alfonso Davis takes his eye off it, goes under his foot,
00:34:51and Crapo is expecting him to take a touch across Davis, and he would have caught him.
00:34:56McAllister wins the ball back. Here come Argentina again.
00:34:58Johnson's pass out was blocked. DePaul muscled off it.
00:35:02Argentina wants a foul they're not going to get,
00:35:04but the backtracking from Tagliafico wins it back as DePaul is slow to get up.
00:35:12He's gingerly getting back to his feet.
00:35:21Romero a bit banged up a moment ago. DePaul banged up right now.
00:35:25Messi able to turn to a big pocket of space that he'll run into.
00:35:28DePaul, back for Messi.
00:35:31Messi waiting for Tagliafico. Here he is. Tagliafico! That took a block.
00:35:35That's out for a corner.
00:35:37But it's once again Argentina finding combinations right through the middle of the field.
00:35:42And that's the area Canada want to protect, but they're not doing a good job of it so far.
00:35:46Trying to converge on Messi, the one-two, the movement off the ball.
00:35:49So difficult to stop. That cues now the space for Tagliafico to join the attack.
00:35:54He gets a decent shot off here, takes that deflection.
00:35:57He's aiming for the back post.
00:35:59Ends up skipping out for an Argentine corner, which Messi's going to come across and take.
00:36:03They scored goals off corners at Copa America.
00:36:05That goal that they scored against Ecuador on Thursday was from a Messi corner.
00:36:14One-time assist leader in Copa America history.
00:36:18He'll swing this one out and deep. It's knocked back in.
00:36:21It's on the outside of the net.
00:36:28Sometimes the man that scored the goal off the set piece the other night,
00:36:30Alessandro Martinez, this time on the first one trying to, I think, head that towards goal
00:36:36maybe would have been better served heading it back into a dangerous area
00:36:39where all the attacking bodies were.
00:36:41And the hero of that night was Emiliano Martinez, the goalkeeper for Argentina.
00:36:45For more on him, back down to Jenny.
00:36:49Well, John, we, of course, hear Messi chants all the time.
00:36:51But you know what else I'm hearing all night?
00:36:53Dibu, Dibu, that is the nickname for Emi Martinez.
00:36:56A nickname after a popular Argentinian television series.
00:37:00And I asked Alexis McAlister about Martinez, what makes him so special.
00:37:04He described him to me as an animal.
00:37:06His confidence is something he's been showing us for quite some time.
00:37:10John, I'm right behind Emi on the pitch watching the way he deals with his opponents.
00:37:14With the fans, it is a show in and of itself.
00:37:19I feel in some ways Emiliano Martinez is your spirit animal, too,
00:37:22just because that personality that shines through.
00:37:24How much of a difference does that make to have a guy?
00:37:26It's not just the antics. The guy backs it up.
00:37:28He delivers. He delivers. That's the most important thing.
00:37:31And that gives him and his team confidence.
00:37:34You heard the studio crew talking about it after that penalty shootout
00:37:37winning against Ecuador.
00:37:38What a feeling as a penalty taker on his own team to step up knowing that,
00:37:41hey, guess what, I miss, and our starting guy, Messi misses,
00:37:44that he's there to pick it up, but that he has the confidence.
00:37:47He's going to give you one.
00:37:48And in that game, he gave you two saves.
00:37:50But just so commanding, and the most important thing we always talk about
00:37:53is his ability to make that big save when it matters.
00:37:56And he holds it in from Schaffelberg's cross.
00:38:02With it for Lorea. He scores backwards.
00:38:05Nice.
00:38:10The numbers pitched up high here.
00:38:16And Argentina slowly pushing them back further away from goal.
00:38:36There's Donquillo. Davies made the run infield.
00:38:39The pass was Aaron. It was off target, and it's given away.
00:38:43Went through a really good spell of possession for Canada as well.
00:38:47And it was a good spot.
00:38:48That's what you need to try to break down this Argentina defense.
00:38:51And Alphonso Davies has come a long way inside
00:38:54to try to unbalance the opponent and create a numbers advantage centrally,
00:38:57but as has been the story for Canada.
00:39:00It's going to fall for Laren.
00:39:02It was just behind the run of David there.
00:39:04Same thing, though, right? Just a game and nearly for them.
00:39:07It's been when that opportunity's there.
00:39:09The pass is too slow. The pass is a yard the wrong direction.
00:39:12The finish takes a little bit too long.
00:39:15And that's been the trouble. They've gotten some good spots.
00:39:18Alphonso Davies running now, and he couldn't dance his way through Decaux.
00:39:21It's picked up by Schaffelberg. His cross is overhit, though.
00:39:24And another example of exactly what you're talking about.
00:39:30CROWD ROARS
00:39:38Are you surprised at all how slow this first half has been?
00:39:41Because we think about Jesse Marsh coached teams,
00:39:44high intensity, high pressure.
00:39:46A couple of things on that.
00:39:48Early in the game it was there, and it's no surprise
00:39:51because that's when the players are the freshest.
00:39:53They're right into the game.
00:39:55Argentina were a little bit open defensively,
00:39:57weren't necessarily dealing with the first ball and then the speed,
00:39:59and they were opening the game up.
00:40:01A couple of things since then. Now Canada clear and tiring in the game.
00:40:04Trying to press in moments, settling deeper and deeper.
00:40:07You can see that goal. Argentina have possession.
00:40:10And they just don't have that same oomph.
00:40:12And they need to find a way to still...
00:40:15The rest defense is something Jesse Marsh talks about all the time.
00:40:18Being active, but right now they look like they're chasing shadows defensively.
00:40:22Di Maria back for Messi.
00:40:24Messi.
00:40:25Is he fouled? No. No call from the referee.
00:40:28Kone picks it up.
00:40:29And the referee, it bounced off of him.
00:40:32Now he should blow the play dead.
00:40:34And what he's saying is because it didn't change possession,
00:40:37now he's going to come back.
00:40:38We've seen a couple of strange moments from referees
00:40:40that just the basic administrative parts of refereeing,
00:40:43not like subjective, is it a foul or not.
00:40:46And the fact that Pierre Amasa didn't immediately having that ball hit
00:40:50and blow the play dead is interesting.
00:40:53Also, that should have been a foul for Messi there.
00:40:56You saw Eustaquio didn't get any contact on the ball.
00:40:59Kicked out Messi's right foot.
00:41:01He's letting the referee know how he feels about it.
00:41:10Five minutes to go in this first half.
00:41:14Speaking of Messi, all that talk about his touch count the other night.
00:41:18He's already at 21 touches.
00:41:19Good 21 touches.
00:41:20He's created two of Argentina's five chances.
00:41:23And another mistake in the back there.
00:41:25But the running from Julian Alvarez has been phenomenal.
00:41:27Just never stops.
00:41:29It was Johnston.
00:41:30He's going to be open here if they can find him.
00:41:32There he goes.
00:41:33He's thinking the other way to get that ball is where this all started from.
00:41:36Larea just bumps off Alvarez there.
00:41:40Touch count aside, just give me your eye test impression of Messi tonight
00:41:44as compared to Thursday.
00:41:45Much better. Much more comfortable.
00:41:47The other part is when I was watching him in the Ecuador game,
00:41:51there wasn't as much space in the middle.
00:41:53So he was drifting out wide to try to get on the ball.
00:41:55They couldn't find ways to get him on the ball.
00:41:57Today, he's staying a lot more central.
00:41:59And he's finding that gap between the midfield and the back line
00:42:03and forcing Bambito and Cornelius into a decision.
00:42:06Here he is again. That's the spot.
00:42:08Now he's able to get turned and play these little balls in behind.
00:42:10He's going to spray it out wide.
00:42:12So this is more the Messi we're used to seeing
00:42:14in the early parts of this tournament before he took that knock.
00:42:19He'll be able to chase Argentina back.
00:42:22Get that ball out wide to Tagliafico.
00:42:24De Paul put it right at Schaffelberg.
00:42:28And Lawanna foul. They will get that foul.
00:42:45Austin clips it forward. Larea was coming to him.
00:42:48And it's another giveaway from Canada.
00:43:04It's amazing the difference though, right?
00:43:06Between the first part of the half and the second part of the half.
00:43:09Canada just looks vast. They really do.
00:43:12I don't see even the way in which they're defending right now.
00:43:15A lot of walking out there.
00:43:17And Jonathan Davids trying to catch his breath.
00:43:19He's trying to get energy.
00:43:21And when you're chasing the ball like this for the majority of the half,
00:43:23it's really tough.
00:43:25So I'm not trying to say I could do any better out there
00:43:27running and running and running
00:43:29to play the style that they want to, to be effective against Argentina.
00:43:32They know it's in transition,
00:43:34but they just don't have the energy to do it right now
00:43:37when the ball is turning over.
00:43:39It's like Argentina are just squeezing them more and more and more.
00:43:43And the second half is going to be even harder for Canada.
00:43:46Neither of these Canadians have started every game.
00:43:48Six have played every minute.
00:43:50There's been very little rotation.
00:43:51And they have one fewer day of rest
00:43:53because their quarterfinal was Friday.
00:43:54Argentina's was Thursday.
00:43:57That's a good example right there though, again, right?
00:43:59And Jacob Shackelberg, one of the most dynamic players for this Canadian team.
00:44:03Ball turns over. He's got the ball.
00:44:05Comes inside and just gets hounded off it there by Argentina.
00:44:09And then, boom, they're back in possession.
00:44:11Hungry, hunting again to try to find that second goal.
00:44:16Canelius is all the way up, trying to shadow him.
00:44:18Hands him off to David.
00:44:25Martínez has scored his first career goal for Argentina against Ecuador.
00:44:28It's given away.
00:44:29Coné, that was meant for Lorea from Larin.
00:44:33Another promising moment for Argentina to counter into.
00:44:37Now it goes long. Di María got in behind Davies.
00:44:40Canelius comes across. Di María brings it down.
00:44:43Di María. Alvarez leaves it for Messi.
00:44:46Messi cutting in. Messi puts it wide.
00:44:50Oh, so close. Now watch Ángel Di María's movement here.
00:44:54This is just textbook, high-level winger play.
00:44:57He checks short. Alfonso Davies bites, spins in behind him,
00:45:00creates the space, gets the ball,
00:45:02and then just cuts it back to Messi,
00:45:04who shapes up, as you would expect on the left,
00:45:06chops Johnson, and then goes for the right foot.
00:45:09But a good job by Bambito at the end there,
00:45:11because he didn't bite and open up a window for Messi to go to the far post,
00:45:16and that meant that he had to drag it towards the near post
00:45:18where the angle wasn't as good.
00:45:20Still searching for his first goal in this Copa América.
00:45:23But it feels like it's going to come tonight.
00:45:25Sunday on Fox, the Summer of Stars comes to a close.
00:45:28We begin the day in Berlin.
00:45:29It's the away for European Championship final at 2 p.m. Eastern, 11 a.m. Pacific.
00:45:33Then that night, the Copa América final from Miami,
00:45:367 Eastern, 4 o'clock Pacific, live on Fox.
00:45:40What a day that's going to be.
00:45:41What a culmination to an incredible two tournaments
00:45:44on two different continents that it's been so much fun for us to watch,
00:45:48let alone get to be a part of.
00:45:50And who will stand tall as the champions of Europe
00:45:53and the champions of the Western Hemisphere
00:45:55in this combined North and South Copa América?
00:45:59The end of the night Sunday.
00:46:00Looks like we'll have two added minutes.
00:46:03At the end of this first half,
00:46:04Julian Alvarez, second goal of the tournament,
00:46:06put back in the lineup tonight.
00:46:08With all the assists midway through this half.
00:46:11As Johnston thought he had won that ball,
00:46:13it's whistled for a foul.
00:46:14And indeed, two minutes still to go in this half.
00:46:20Argentina outpossessing Canada, outshooting Canada, 6-3.
00:46:24And yet, it's a one-goal game.
00:46:28That's going to be interesting to watch in the second half.
00:46:30Can Argentina find that second goal that they couldn't find
00:46:33against Ecuador that kept them in it to the very end?
00:46:36Martial for Messi, for Di Maria off of Davies' header.
00:46:39Di Maria couldn't get across the way at first.
00:46:41Cuts it back in.
00:46:42Messi peeling off.
00:46:43De Paul, it's too far in front of Messi.
00:46:45McAllister picks it up.
00:46:46Messi trying to chip.
00:46:48And it's over the top.
00:46:52I think he wanted this one just a touch softer on the layoff
00:46:54so he could take it first time.
00:46:57It comes too hard back to him for McAllister.
00:47:00It means he had to take that little touch and then tries to lift it
00:47:03to create pose, back pose.
00:47:05But he's just buzzing around when the ball is in and around the box
00:47:08because he knows they've got space, the time.
00:47:10They're getting him behind.
00:47:12And they're wearing down that back line ever so slowly
00:47:15throughout this first half.
00:47:16And for Canada, this first half whistle can't come soon enough.
00:47:19And the fourth example of this half, at least,
00:47:21where clearly it was a talking point for Argentina
00:47:23the last couple of games.
00:47:24Canard is goalkeeper.
00:47:25Aggressive positioning.
00:47:26Off his line.
00:47:27Try to beat him that way.
00:47:31And Sinclair Poe has come in with the most saves in this tournament.
00:47:35Third best quality of saves based on the statistical data.
00:47:39This is interesting.
00:47:40You've got the center backs coming forward.
00:47:41Cornelius and Bambito.
00:47:43Alistair Johnston.
00:47:44It's very slick.
00:47:45It's very humid.
00:47:46Can he get good traction on that ball to get this one in deep?
00:47:49He does.
00:47:50That came off an Argentina hand.
00:47:52Saved by Emiliano Martinez, who made himself big in his near post.
00:47:57And it's out for a quarter.
00:47:58Yeah, here's the thing.
00:47:59If you're not creating chances from open play,
00:48:01when you get these rare opportunities in Argentina's half, why not?
00:48:04Throw bodies in there.
00:48:05Try to create moments like that.
00:48:07It skimmed off ahead.
00:48:08And great anticipation there from David to get to that near post.
00:48:12But once again, Martinez is big and blocks off all the space.
00:48:15But perhaps last chance of the half here for Canada from this corner.
00:48:19We'll save the game for either goalkeeper.
00:48:22We're into the third at a minute.
00:48:25Schaffelberg sets the ball.
00:48:30And a little bit of a bump off the ball.
00:48:33I still think they should be playing this short here.
00:48:35It's only messy that's really out.
00:48:37And then the player will come off the near post.
00:48:39But you can play 2v1.
00:48:41That's what Jesse Marx is yelling.
00:48:42Do it, do it.
00:48:43Yeah, they're doing it now.
00:48:44Pone picks it up.
00:48:46Comes back.
00:48:47Schaffelberg.
00:48:48That took a block.
00:48:49That was Julian Alvarez.
00:48:50Careful the other way.
00:48:51Davies is back there.
00:48:52Job still not done.
00:48:55The pole goes long.
00:48:57And a promising moment comes to nothing.
00:48:59Just too slow.
00:49:00Too slow.
00:49:01And we've said that a lot, haven't we?
00:49:02As we send you back to Robstone in Los Angeles.
00:49:0545 minutes down.
00:49:0645 to go here in the Meadowlands in the Copa America semifinal.
00:49:10Where it's Argentina 1, Canada 0.
00:49:14Back to New Jersey.
00:49:16Canada on the field right now.
00:49:18And Argentina 60% possession.
00:49:20Lex an 8-4 shot advantage.
00:49:22What do you think Jesse Marx said in that halftime locker room to his Maple Leafs?
00:49:27Well, we saw him screaming and yelling as they left the field.
00:49:31And so either you change now and make some substitutions because you don't like the way it's going.
00:49:36Or you put the fear of God into them to change up some things that you don't like.
00:49:40But he was not happy.
00:49:41But it's only 1-0.
00:49:42All right?
00:49:43And they've had plenty of the ball.
00:49:44And they've had a couple of opportunities.
00:49:46So it's certainly within their grasp.
00:49:48It's not as if they're getting blown off the field.
00:49:50No, I mean, it's there still to get back into this game.
00:49:52They've had their opportunities.
00:49:53I mean, look at the last minute of the first half with the chance from David on the long throw.
00:49:57So they keep doing what they're doing.
00:49:59You have to be frustrated with the way in which they conceded that first goal.
00:50:02But there's still chances there for them.
00:50:04They just have to take it.
00:50:05Yeah, I think Argentina have more goals in them.
00:50:07But I think this Canadian side needs to be a little bit tighter with their lines.
00:50:11On the goal that Alvarez scored, you know, they just got caught a bit.
00:50:15And giving too much space to...
00:50:18Remember, Argentina turned up the heat in the second half on Canada in their first meeting.
00:50:23It was 0-0 at the break.
00:50:25And they banged in two goals, including one pretty quickly after the halftime whistle.
00:50:30Alvarez, the game's goal scorer, came in the 22nd minute.
00:50:33Argentina up 1-0 and 45 minutes away from a Copa America final.
00:50:38For the second half call, once again, John Strong and Stu Holden.
00:50:42And, Rob, never before at a major tournament have we paid more attention
00:50:46to how long it takes teams to come out for the second half than this Copa America.
00:50:50Four coaches suspended, including Leonel Scaloni, partially at the public behest of Jesse Marsh.
00:50:56It was about 16 minutes that it took Argentina, a minute late to actually take the field here.
00:51:01No changes from either side.
00:51:03Stu, you've been hearing that conversation.
00:51:05We saw Jesse Marsh angry as he went off.
00:51:08Argentina, can they pull away?
00:51:11It's going to be like Thursday, where they let their opponents hang around
00:51:14and are at risk of that stoppage time goal against.
00:51:17It's an early foul there, Julian Alvarez going down.
00:51:19What do you expect to see your second half?
00:51:21Well, this is where it becomes very important, first 10, 15 minutes of this second half,
00:51:25for Canada to let Argentina know, hey, we're still going to give you a game here.
00:51:30Because if they just start this second half the way they finished the first half,
00:51:34this is going to be 3-4-0 to Argentina.
00:51:36They're going to run away with this game as it opens up.
00:51:38Straight from the kickoff, ball around the corner.
00:51:40Julian Alvarez gets it.
00:51:41Bambito Falzon set this opportunity for Argentina.
00:51:45I think they're going to want to find that second goal just to kill any type of momentum
00:51:49and see if we get a response from Canada, from Jesse Marsh.
00:51:51Because you know that was a pretty heated halftime discussion
00:51:54after what we saw from him going down the tunnel.
00:51:56Messi and De Paul over the free kick.
00:51:58Everyone back to defend for Canada.
00:52:03Messi will flip it in.
00:52:05Romero looks like he's under hit.
00:52:09They're there to pick it up.
00:52:11They applied a ton of sand to this field.
00:52:14They did not water the field.
00:52:16That from up here looked like that ball was in play.
00:52:19The entirety of the ball has to cross the entirety of the line.
00:52:23And now Jesse Marsh is going to get warned by the referee.
00:52:29No, I'm with him on that one.
00:52:30I think that ball was still in from Schaffelberg.
00:52:36The humidity here is such that it looks like there's kind of a haze
00:52:40when you look at the light standards.
00:52:41It reminds me of that hibachi grill.
00:52:43You've got all that smoke and steam coming at you all over.
00:52:46This place is cooking.
00:52:47And you can see that.
00:52:48It's worn on some of these players as the game has gone on.
00:52:51You've had 15 minutes of rest now if you're Canada.
00:52:53Can you come out?
00:52:54Can you get some pressure on the ball and create moments in transition?
00:52:57That's how they're going to score a goal.
00:53:00Argentina have never been beaten in their Copa America history
00:53:03when they lead at the half.
00:53:04But they don't have to be beaten tonight.
00:53:05It can be a tie after 90 minutes.
00:53:07And we go straight to a penalty shootout.
00:53:09Which of these teams advance in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinal round?
00:53:13It's long.
00:53:14Schaffelberg in chase.
00:53:17Just kind of hit a dead spot in the grass it looked like.
00:53:19And Romero had to quickly catch up to it.
00:53:22Eustaquio knocked away as Davies played it inside.
00:53:25Kone comes sliding through.
00:53:26It comes off his face.
00:53:27But that's going to work for Schaffelberg.
00:53:29Back for Ismael Kone.
00:53:31Kone is knocked away.
00:53:32Good work by Fernando as it was tracking back defensively.
00:53:39What can Canada do in the spells of possession they have?
00:54:01The second time tonight, Derrick Cornelius just did not have his eyes on the ball.
00:54:06He skipped underneath his foot.
00:54:12Running under immediate pressure.
00:54:13Able to find the pass inside for Eustaquio.
00:54:16He gets hit.
00:54:17And he gets it away for Alfonso Davies.
00:54:19Davies on the run.
00:54:20Penalty coming forward.
00:54:21Davies.
00:54:22It'll come all the way across to Richie Lorea.
00:54:24Lorea's first touch pulls him wide.
00:54:26He's got it.
00:54:27Lorea.
00:54:28Lorea's first touch pulls him wide.
00:54:29He's got Johnston in support.
00:54:31Johnston's cross in.
00:54:32That was in between the options.
00:54:34Eustaquio picks it up.
00:54:35Eustaquio under hit for Alfonso Davies.
00:54:38And then DeMaria smartly just plays it off.
00:54:40Davies out for a throw.
00:54:42I thought Eustaquio was going to take that one first time.
00:54:44Should he have?
00:54:45Yeah, absolutely.
00:54:46Because the chance was gone on the second one.
00:54:48This is the one for the Bulls.
00:54:50Oh, yeah.
00:54:51It stayed in.
00:54:52Look.
00:54:53You see how it was actually starting to go out.
00:54:54And then the bull ended up in that little ridge of the end line and stayed in.
00:54:59So, yeah.
00:55:00Now, Schappenberg had a lot of work to do from there.
00:55:02It's the halfway line.
00:55:03But I think it speaks to the wider frustration that Jesse Marsh had in that first half.
00:55:09Thankfully, the referee didn't give Marsh a yellow card for complaining correctly about a missed call.
00:55:15Which we have seen.
00:55:18If Fico can find exactly the right pass for Alexis McAllister in a moment,
00:55:23it looked like he was under pressure.
00:55:24Messi dummies it for DePaul, who hands it off for DeMaria.
00:55:28DeMaria returns.
00:55:30DePaul cuts the cross in.
00:55:32It was blocked, and Argentina have a corner.
00:55:40All of that, from what looked like maybe a promising moment with Canada,
00:55:44creating some pressure high at the field.
00:55:54And now Messi will walk over to take.
00:55:56Now, this was the type of setup we saw with an in-swinging ball from Messi,
00:56:00where they had McAllister run across the near post, flick it to the far post.
00:56:05I wonder if they try.
00:56:06It doesn't look like the setup's quite as similar.
00:56:08They're actually stacking on top of Crapo.
00:56:09He's going to try and bend it on top of him.
00:56:11And at that near post, Eustaquio's there to head it away.
00:56:15As we've seen about once a game, Messi go for the Olympic gold.
00:56:18That's the one thing he's never done in his career.
00:56:22Messi has it back off the throw.
00:56:23In for DePaul.
00:56:24Able to turn.
00:56:25No one there.
00:56:26Cuts it back into the middle.
00:56:27Kone, first touch.
00:56:28Holding as far as Gonzalez.
00:56:29It's in.
00:56:30It's Enzo Fernandez who puts it in.
00:56:32Now, Canada's arguing they want offside on that.
00:56:37Yeah, it could be offside here on Messi.
00:56:39We'll see at the end of this one,
00:56:41because I think Messi might get a slight touch on this as the shot comes in.
00:56:45But as it stands, second goal for Argentina.
00:56:47Great work from DePaul initially.
00:56:50Let's see where all the players.
00:56:51This Cornelius step up just in time.
00:56:53We'll get a better look from the 18 cam as we look down the line.
00:56:56But just good work from Fernandez.
00:56:58He has so much time and space here.
00:57:00There's the little touch from Messi.
00:57:01That might be Messi's first goal of the tournament.
00:57:03It might be.
00:57:04We have to see a definitive look down the line to see if he's onside or offside.
00:57:08He doesn't even seem entirely convinced at this point.
00:57:12But, wow, how much time did Enzo Fernandez have in the box there
00:57:16to open up his hips and get that shot on the goal?
00:57:21No pressure from Canada on the ball.
00:57:23And it comes off them just playing the ball down the side.
00:57:26So here we go. Let's run this one back.
00:57:28Does Cornelius step up in time as that ball comes off here?
00:57:33No, it looks pretty clear like not.
00:57:35Let's see when it leaves his foot.
00:57:37He recognized he was deep.
00:57:39He was the man that had to stay with DePaul.
00:57:41Now he's trying to quickly get out and get in line with that last defender as well.
00:57:46They're going to just make sure with the lines.
00:57:48But it looked to me that that's a goal, and it is.
00:57:50Yeah, Lionel Messi with his first goal of the tournament.
00:57:52How about that?
00:57:53Exactly how we all thought it was going to happen as well.
00:57:56So Enzo Fernandez will get the assist to Messi.
00:58:07Boy, a lot of frustration for Canada.
00:58:10A sequence that began with some high pressure up the field.
00:58:16Not the type of goal.
00:58:18If you're going to get beat by Argentina, get beat by something great,
00:58:21something beautiful, something unstoppable from Messi.
00:58:24And just enough of a redirection in front of Cripo.
00:58:32109th goal for Argentina.
00:58:37More than any other man in South American history.
00:58:41His 14th at Copa America.
00:58:45Three back of the all-time record in the tournament's history.
00:58:51There's Messi on the run again.
00:58:53With a big tackle.
00:58:55How much of a backbreaker is that for Canada to concede early seconds?
00:58:59That's what I said.
00:59:00First 10 minutes, you've got to set the tone.
00:59:02And the reality was, it comes off their best chance.
00:59:05Down on this end of the field, second half.
00:59:07The fans right now saluting Messi, Messi, Messi.
00:59:10But then Argentina win the corner.
00:59:13They get the first one.
00:59:14It recycles, comes back to Messi.
00:59:16He plays that little slip ball.
00:59:17Good work from DePaul.
00:59:19And then you find yourself down two goals now against the world champs.
00:59:23In the humid setting tonight, you've got to chase the game.
00:59:26Space is going to open up.
00:59:27Kone looks like he's picked up a little bit of a knock.
00:59:31Looks like Canada getting ready to make two subs as well.
00:59:33Liam Miller being one.
00:59:37Kone, the 22-year-old, brought back in the lineup.
00:59:40Goes down.
00:59:41Here's the goal again.
00:59:42That was such a good turn, by the way, from Rodrigo DePaul.
00:59:46And then a poor clearance from Kone.
00:59:48But Enzo Fernandez did a good job just keeping that on target.
00:59:50Slightest of touches.
00:59:52And ends up coming off of Maxime Kripos' face at the end of that.
00:59:56But even just that misdirection there was enough.
00:59:59And made it so difficult for him.
01:00:01He might have had a chance because he'd anticipated to the left.
01:00:05I'm sure not the way Messi had expected to open his account.
01:00:08But it doesn't matter.
01:00:09And he's in the right place, right time.
01:00:10And such an important touch to put that one in the back of the net.
01:00:13They had Ali Ahmed and Liam Miller ready to come on.
01:00:16And that was before Ismael Kone went down.
01:00:18And Jonathan Osorio was scrambling back in.
01:00:21Taking a picture with the GOAT.
01:00:23And so this might end up being a triple sub.
01:00:26We'll see.
01:00:27They put Schaffelberg's number up.
01:00:29Jacob Schaffelberg is off.
01:00:31They put Richie Lorea's number up.
01:00:33And Lorea is off.
01:00:42And he began the tournament as a starter.
01:00:44Ahmed of the Vancouver Whitecaps who was a late add to this roster.
01:00:58That's one more look.
01:01:01This is the point that it comes off his foot.
01:01:03You can see that Cornelius just recognized I had to get out.
01:01:07Had to get out.
01:01:08He knew what was happening.
01:01:09Tried to draw Messi offside.
01:01:10Couldn't get close enough to him to make the tackle on him.
01:01:13So tried to draw him offside.
01:01:15The run seemed to have been timed just to perfection there.
01:01:19For Messi now over the last two years,
01:01:22it's 28 goals in his last 25 games played for Argentina.
01:01:26That's actually unprecedented.
01:01:28In his career, he's never had a stretch like that.
01:01:31Averaging more than a goal per game over such a long period of time.
01:01:36He scored in every knockout stage game at the World Cup.
01:01:42And I guess that's the question.
01:01:43And we talked about it a little bit the other night.
01:01:45There's been so much discussion about Cristiano Ronaldo,
01:01:47what he means for Portugal, what his level is.
01:01:51As it goes long for Montiel.
01:01:53And Kepo will come all the way out to get it.
01:01:55And Jose Nelkone has retaken the field.
01:01:57They're going to hold this up for now.
01:01:59Why is it that Messi has continued to still be as effective as he has
01:02:03over the last two years?
01:02:05And even coming into this tournament, he's scoring plenty of goals.
01:02:07The guy still plays at just an insane level.
01:02:10And he's found ways to be impactful without having to do as much of the hard running.
01:02:15And he does the hard running when he's on the ball and his team has possession.
01:02:18He finds ways to contribute defensively in terms of being in the right spots
01:02:22to take advantage when the ball turns over in transition.
01:02:25And also, Messi doesn't rely so much on just pure speed and athleticism.
01:02:30His passing is out of this world.
01:02:33He's one of the best passers in the game as well as scorers.
01:02:35Here comes Candido.
01:02:36Ramiro missed that. Miller picked it up.
01:02:38Ahmed around the outside.
01:02:40And a heavy first touch there.
01:02:42And it breaks down as Jonathan David was on the end of it.
01:02:45But Jesse Marsh at least likes that his team is still showing some life.
01:02:48Yeah, Miller came inside, found a nice spot in behind the Argentine midfield, gets turned.
01:02:52It's been a frustrating watch for some of these Canadian fans that have traveled down
01:02:56in big numbers up in little pockets of this stadium.
01:02:59You see little pockets of red in and amongst Buenos Aires.
01:03:07Even to the fact that the music that they play at these games is very much Argentine music.
01:03:13It's not even necessarily a pan-South American playlist.
01:03:17This is a home field advantage that has been created in every possible way
01:03:21for Argentina at this tournament in the U.S.
01:03:23Albedo wide. Ahmed looking on the callister.
01:03:46And in saying that, twice at the World Cup, we saw Argentina in a very comfortable 2-0 position
01:03:52completely fall apart against the Netherlands, and then against France in the final.
01:03:57They end up advancing in a penalty shootout.
01:04:03They need to do something along those lines.
01:04:05It was two quick goals for France.
01:04:07It was two late goals for the Netherlands.
01:04:1090 plus 11 that they ended up tying it.
01:04:12They hadn't conceded such a late goal until the 95th minute.
01:04:15They gave up to Ecuador on Thursday.
01:04:18He was trying to play back inside for Lee and Miller, and just pinged around.
01:04:24Romero, Di Maria.
01:04:26They just make it look so easy, don't they?
01:04:28De Paul, short for Messi.
01:04:32And then Messi goes down.
01:04:34Advantage going to be played as Alvarez picks it up.
01:04:36The callister wanted it in the middle, and now it's going to come back for the foul.
01:04:40That's so deflating for an opponent defensive team trying to...
01:04:43The ball's deep in Argentina's end.
01:04:46They lead out trying to win the ball back with pressure.
01:04:491-2 touch.
01:04:50Boom, boom, boom, boom.
01:04:51Get it out wide, and...
01:04:53Messi was looking for the 1-2 here with Rodrigo De Paul,
01:04:56and then they had two players wide open.
01:04:57Julian Alvarez was on the near side.
01:04:59Angel Di Maria, then on the far.
01:05:02That was Bambito is down.
01:05:06Back to his feet.
01:05:07One of four-year-olds from Montreal plays for the Colorado Rapids.
01:05:10One of the revelations of this short.
01:05:12Jesse Marchera.
01:05:13Lee and Miller wasn't paying enough attention,
01:05:15and that gave Angel Di Maria the space to pick that one up.
01:05:18It was taken quickly by De Paul.
01:05:20Back for Messi.
01:05:22In-between pass.
01:05:23Laron picks it up.
01:05:24He's got Jonathan David running through the center.
01:05:26It's swept away, though.
01:05:27Christian Romero, alert defending.
01:05:30And then Ali Ahmed commits a foul trying to win it back.
01:05:37What'd you say earlier?
01:05:38How many just almost moments for Canada tonight?
01:05:40Yeah.
01:05:41Yeah.
01:05:42Yeah.
01:05:43Yeah.
01:05:44Yeah.
01:05:45Yeah.
01:05:46Yeah.
01:05:47Yeah.
01:05:48Yeah.
01:05:49Yeah.
01:05:50Yeah.
01:05:51That's focuses on the almost moments for Canada tonight.
01:05:53That one, too.
01:05:54Argentina do such a phenomenal job across the field
01:05:58when that ball turns over, how quickly they react.
01:06:00So that's an under-hit pass.
01:06:01But look at the reaction.
01:06:02First of all, Romero gets tight.
01:06:05He lays out.
01:06:06Sandra Martinez sprinting back.
01:06:08They just constantly have bodies around the ball.
01:06:11Even if it's just a little turnover in any part of the field,
01:06:14they look to win it back as quickly as they can.
01:06:17Paul. Dan's the tightrope that Schaffelberg didn't get earlier. Jesse Marsh is furious.
01:06:22Alvarez, what a control. Alvarez saved by Craig Paul and he covers up his first save of the night.
01:06:28Jesse Marsh, his head in his hands, he can't believe that that was flagged as still being
01:06:34in play and they didn't get the call on the one earlier. Ahmed the other way for Canada.
01:06:38Comes back for Kone, who seems to have recovered from the knock he took earlier.
01:06:42Comes inside, they're giving him the space. Kone puts it in the stands.
01:06:46A moment of appreciation for this ball from Angel Di Maria, my goodness. Ridiculous.
01:06:52Finding a run from Julian Alvarez between the two center backs right over the head of Pompito.
01:06:57That is inch perfect. It takes it a little too soon here. The first touch phenomenal in front
01:07:02of him, off the outside of the foot. That second one is in a good spot as well, but just a little
01:07:07slow that he had to slow up his run there to take that strike. And as he put his head down,
01:07:12Craig Paul had said himself, ends up being a save. It's right at him, but
01:07:16what a ball from Di Maria, my goodness.
01:07:23Miscontrol that one out. The second semi-final of the Euros tomorrow on Fox. The Netherlands
01:07:27against England, who will advance to face Spain in the final on Sunday in Berlin. Covered starts
01:07:32at 2 p.m. Eastern, 11 a.m. Pacific. Live on Fox, that was in between Larin and David.
01:07:39McAllister picks it up. Trying to win it back. He has. It's kept in play by Johnston.
01:07:47Coming forward in for David, lets it go. Larin sets it back. Cote off balance. Almost got back
01:07:52to it. Di Maria was there. Now he needs some help on how Di Maria dribbling around in his own six
01:07:58yard box. Johnston in a wrestling match, able to win it back on the outside. Johnston trying to
01:08:03charge it in. Look out the other way now. Fernandes to play and that's a needed foul.
01:08:08Eustaquio saying it's not a foul. He's going to get a yellow card. That's a goal saving foul
01:08:14from Eustaquio there because Angel Di Maria was wide open at the top of the screen and he just
01:08:21hacked down Rodrigo De Paul. He knows what he's doing. He's never getting to that ball. He was
01:08:26just able to clip his ankle there, but it's about as perfect a tactical foul as you're going to see.
01:08:33When you saw the way the Argentine players were yelling at referee Pierre Amazza, there has been
01:08:38a narrative in the South American media that this Canada team are dirty, that they're overly
01:08:42physical at how they play. And yet, we've seen plenty of these games over years at Copa America.
01:08:48Any team, including Argentina, would make the exact same foul in the exact same moment.
01:08:53And yet, still the referee has not signaled Argentina's training staff to come out and take a look at him.
01:09:11Canada will make a substantial difference in this game.
01:09:14Canada will make a substitution.
01:09:30Argentina looking to bring Nicolas Tagliafico off and he's one of the
01:09:35players sitting on a yellow card who would be suspended for the final of book tonight.
01:09:39Jonathan David will come off for Canada.
01:09:47Scored the goal against Peru that got them into the knockout stage.
01:09:52Kenny Oluseyi of Manasota United is on. He had scored a goal at one point in the
01:10:00group stage. I want to see it called back.
01:10:04Nicolas Otamendi comes on. He's 116th appearance. Moves past assistant coach
01:10:12Burtayala for fifth most in Argentina's history.
01:10:26Out to the left.
01:10:30Canada to try to start a comeback.
01:10:43Gambito, Johnston, Ahmed.
01:10:48For Krone.
01:10:58Krone will take the space in front of him. Hands it off wide. Ali Ahmed, chance to cross, gets it in.
01:11:03Emiliano Martinez is there in front of Oluseyi. Oh, look at Messi. Trying to go quick. Messi on the
01:11:08run and that's the aggressive positioning that Jesse Marsh wants from Maxime Kripo.
01:11:13And two big thumbs up from Jesse Marsh on the bench as Kripo snuffs that out. Now Liam
01:11:18Miller running the other way. Miller trying to cut inside, lost his footing, lost the ball.
01:11:23Davies, Ocata, tough tackle that he takes. Alfonso Davies is hurt. He's down behind the play
01:11:28yelling out for the training staff. Argentina come the other way. Messi on the run, knocked
01:11:33out by Derek Cornelius. And the concern right now is for Alfonso Davies. That was a crunching tackle
01:11:39there. Came in on Davies. He had the ball down in the corner and Jesse Marsh somewhat sarcastically
01:11:47there. There is Montiel. That's a good tackle. Davies actually ends up getting his leg caught
01:11:56between the legs of Montiel as he makes that challenge. But it's actually his step, his step
01:12:02and his momentum took him into that. It was all ball. He seems to be in an awful lot of pain right
01:12:09now. Another look at the goal. Came out to Enzo Fernandez there. A bit of pressure from Messi
01:12:16initially that forced Kone into that poor clearance. And then just the slightest of touches.
01:12:21I don't think there was enough on that. I think Maxime Kripo was going to be there
01:12:24had it not been for that touch from Messi that took it past him. And ends his three-game goal
01:12:32streak. Now the training staff from Canada are signaling to the bench still to hold as
01:12:39Alfonso Davies is getting checked out here. I don't think they're
01:12:44saying that a change needs to be imminent. Checking on that right leg of his.
01:12:50Davies is such a remarkable story. Born in a refugee camp in Ghana, his parents had fled
01:12:55the civil war in Liberia. And there's an alternate reality where Alfonso Davies,
01:13:02that's his life in Africa living in a refugee camp. Just trying to find a way as long as so
01:13:08many other millions of refugees do. When he was five they won the opportunity to migrate to Canada
01:13:14first in Edmonton and the Vancouver Whitecaps spotted him. Davies has become an ambassador for
01:13:21the United Nations Refugee Agency speaking out on behalf of the 114 million people globally
01:13:28that have been displaced by war and violence and persecution. I don't know if the upside
01:13:33down Canadian flag was intentional as a sign of distress or whether that fan just didn't realize
01:13:37it. He has become one of the biggest stars in Canadian sports. Maybe the best player on this
01:13:46particular continent. He was still in a lot of pain right now as Canada will play with 10 and a
01:13:54huge conference of Canadian assistant coaches around Jesse Marsh trying to figure out the
01:14:00pathway forward. Down two goals in the Copa America semifinal. As Colombia and Uruguay
01:14:06watch from their respective hotels in Charlotte ahead of tomorrow night's second semifinal. Davies
01:14:11being allowed back out still moving very gingerly. He's going down now though yeah trying to run it
01:14:16off. He got his right leg caught in between Montiel's as he laid out on the ground tried
01:14:24to run it off tried to come back on and also yeah they're gonna have to make this up they've
01:14:30only got one window left to Canada. That's probably the conversation too with Jesse
01:14:37Marsh and his coaching staff saying look we got one window we've got two subs left
01:14:42we got to go for both now. And you didn't that wasn't a foul that was just it's unfortunate
01:14:47bad luck in your mind. I think so. His leg got caught the way it did.
01:14:57Let's see what they do and it looks like they are trying to grab two substitutes
01:15:02to use this last window.
01:15:08And the wave makes its way around here at the Meadowlands.
01:15:26I know Molina will be coming on for Argentina. Jonathan Osorio looks like he will now come on the field.
01:15:37I know it's more stoppage time for Canada to do something about this.
01:15:50That's a good wave by the way.
01:15:58So Montiel will come off for Molina.
01:16:07Looks like it'll be Mathieu Schoenier who will be coming on for Canada along with Osorio.
01:16:21It's the final two changes that Jesse Marsh can make in the last substitution window.
01:16:25This is certainly not how you would want to see Alphonso Davies Copa America end.
01:16:40There's a lot of stoppage too. We haven't seen the highest numbers of stoppage at this Copa
01:16:57America so I'm interested to see what gets added at the end of this game in terms of added time.
01:17:02And then also now how this shuffles the pack for Canada to switch up the formation a little bit.
01:17:08Maybe go to three in the back. Looks like Ahmed's come to this near side for now as
01:17:14he's a left back so we're going to see him getting up and down from that position.
01:17:18It's the other role that he's played with the wide caps.
01:17:23So Schoenier and Osorio were on. Jonathan Osorio's 77th appearance for Canada,
01:17:30eighth most in team history. A longtime servant of both Canada and Toronto FC,
01:17:35their all-time appearance leader. And then Schoenier of CF Montreal
01:17:38is his fourth ever appearance for his country and his first at this Copa America.
01:17:49That's Osorio's first touch.
01:17:54What's the pathway back for Canada? 20 minutes of change.
01:17:57How do they create goals out of this? I think at a point you've got to start to
01:18:01take some more risk and putting more numbers into the attack. Maybe a little bit more direct
01:18:05at times, dumping some balls in behind, trying to squeeze the game up. They've got a number of
01:18:10attacking players on the field. Ahmed's taking a very aggressive positioning on this left-hand
01:18:14side. And what that's going to do is it's also going to open up space for Argentina in these
01:18:18transition moments. So I'm curious to see what as well Lino Scaloni does. When do we see Latauro
01:18:24Martinez? When do you see that change for Julian Alvarez up front and just giving them more speed
01:18:29and an ability to take advantage of those opportunities? And then this becomes important.
01:18:35I would be getting people in the box right now instead of playing that one short and
01:18:39sticking a set piece in there and try to make something of that. That seems like a bad decision
01:18:43to make, although they've worked something out of it here. Schoenier from Osorio. Larin out of the
01:18:47edge of the box. It's waved away by the referee. And then Schoenier commits the foul, just knocking
01:18:52it all down. We know that Angel Di Maria's Argentina career will extend for one more
01:19:05game as it stands to Sunday's final. And for more on Di Maria, let's check in with Jenny
01:19:10downstairs. Jenny? It is fitting, John, that Angel Di Maria got the start tonight. He actually scored
01:19:17his first international goal against Canada in 2010 when he was 22 years old. You mentioned it.
01:19:23He obviously will be retiring from international play after this tournament, but it's worth pointing
01:19:27out just how special the relationship is with Messi. They have gone through the same ups and
01:19:32downs with Argentina. They have won the same amount of titles Di Maria said following their
01:19:38World Cup win. Playing with Messi has been the best thing that has ever happened to my career.
01:19:43What a career for Di Maria as well. As we talked about the other night, it was thought of as this
01:19:50wonderful moment for Messi, this great redemption for Messi, just as much a redemption for Di Maria
01:19:57to get these two titles. He scored the winning goal in the Copa America final three years ago.
01:20:00That one's just beyond him. He scored in the final of the World Cup as well. And if Messi's
01:20:06going to get the obvious headlines, how would we sort of summarize and eulogize Angel Di Maria's
01:20:1320-year career for Argentina? Yeah, one of the best to do it for Argentina, for sure.
01:20:18And his consistency over a long period and a guy that's played at some of the biggest clubs in the
01:20:24world and is part of that supporting cast that we continue to talk about with Lionel Messi and
01:20:30has been able to deliver in those big moments when needed. And look, he missed out on the final
01:20:35in the World Cup in 2014 because he had an injury right before that. And so he didn't have an
01:20:40opportunity to be a part of that game. And it was even a question if he was going to start the final
01:20:44in 2022. Scaloni started him on the left-hand side. He scored such a great goal to kick off that game
01:20:51for them and has been excellent throughout this tournament as well.
01:20:56One hour to go with the Meadowlands. Can Canada conjure two goals?
01:21:00There's Oluwaseyi there, couldn't find control. He blocks the clearance out. Oluwaseyi getting in.
01:21:04Trottier had a bucket with Osorio, in fact, in for Liam Miller. Can he get a shot away?
01:21:08Miller trying to get back to it for Ahmed. It was blocked in Argentina. Just able to rally
01:21:12the troops and circle the wagons there in the key moments to repel that opportunity for Canada.
01:21:21But the opportunities have been there.
01:21:23Canada wants it over the top to run on to. It comes short for Kone instead.
01:21:28Kone, moves his way around Di Maria, back from Osorio. Kone fires it in. Oluwaseyi couldn't control.
01:21:37Johnson and Bombito almost let the other half at Liam Miller now wide.
01:21:41Miller for Johnston, gets there. That's a Mendy defending, resets for Miller.
01:21:47Back in for Kone, Osorio.
01:21:54Kone wants more. Trying to slip that through for Ahmed. Might have been a handball in there,
01:21:59but a foul first. Canada's bench is furious as Di Maria went down.
01:22:05Well, it's filled in. It was late arriving. It is New York traffic on a Tuesday night,
01:22:12but 80,000 are here. So the foul comes before the handball, and it's a foul.
01:22:20It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul.
01:22:24It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul.
01:22:30It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul. It's a foul.
01:22:31So the foul comes before the handball from Di Maria, but the foul came first.
01:22:40I was wondering when we were going to get changes from Argentina, and it seems now.
01:22:43And it comes off the back of a little bit of pressure from Canada building, and I don't think
01:22:47Scaloni would have liked what he'd seen there, and his team getting pinned back and dumping the
01:22:51ball out and defending again. So triple sub on the way. As we say, how many of these substitutes
01:22:59late on would be starters for so many other nations at this tournament. The top scorer at
01:23:04the Copa America, Itar Martinez, who replaces the goal scorer of the opener tonight, Julian Alvarez.
01:23:16Rico Gonzalez and Ciclo Palacios are also coming on.
01:23:21And you think about sub still on the attacking part of the field. So
01:23:25you have Gonzalez coming on, who's going to be able to run.
01:23:28Itar Martinez now, fresh legs up front. Di Maria coming off.
01:23:33Look at the curtain call.
01:23:34So
01:23:53are you surprised, though, that they're leaving Messi out,
01:23:56a guy a few weeks removed from an injury that clearly had him limited in the quarterfinal?
01:24:01Not really. Look, I mean, maybe, but I'm sure that's a conversation normally with Lionel
01:24:08Scaloni and Lionel Messi about, can you go 90? How do you feel? And he went 90 off the back of
01:24:14missing a game and maybe being doubtful. So, oh boy, here we go. That's not what you want to do
01:24:20against this Argentina team. Just pure frustration there. Kona just kicking the ball into the back of
01:24:24DePaul, who's been taking some lumps the last couple of minutes here.
01:24:30Jesse Marsh is coming over, talking a little bit of something to him. Now DePaul's looking over at
01:24:36him. He doesn't like what he's saying. He's telling him, you're chirping. You're not showing
01:24:38it on the screen right now, but no need for that either from Jesse Marsh when you're down 2-0.
01:24:44And I think it also just speaks to the pure frustration of this Canadian team throughout
01:24:48this game. And DePaul's done this a couple of times. Look, he's done it. He does a good job
01:24:53getting his body in the way. He goes down, wins the foul, and then here you go. Look,
01:24:57boom, kicked the ball right into his back. Clear yellow card.
01:25:05And the Canadians frustrated, do you think, at Argentina, at the referee, or at themselves? Yes.
01:25:13Not the night that Jesse Marsh was hoping for. He does get a lovely parting gift
01:25:17for his first major tournament in charge of Canada. DePaul's coming right over to him right now.
01:25:21Look, look, bottom right of your screen. DePaul is coming over, having
01:25:25a couple of words with Jesse Marsh. Now the fourth official is stepping in between them.
01:25:31Martinez will... Oh, it hit the skycam. You see that every day.
01:26:01So 10 minutes to go. For Argentina to add a third and make it look good on the scoreboard,
01:26:15or for Canada maybe, just maybe, to do what the Dutch did, do what the French did at the World Cup,
01:26:20and cause some chaos late from a 2-0 hole. Winner going to Miami for the final on Sunday. The loser
01:26:27still has a game to play. The third place playoff offside flag comes up, which is interesting.
01:26:32Claudio Urrutia, normally assistant referees have been told to hold that flag. Unless it was clear.
01:26:38It felt like that was pretty clearly offside. He was starting to run, and he was like,
01:26:43oh, you know what, that one's way offside. I'm going to throw the flag up.
01:26:51Come on out, you're right, Columbia and Charlotte. Third place playoff is in Charlotte on Saturday.
01:26:57And the final Sunday in Miami.
01:27:00So the teams in the Final Four know they'll have a game on the weekend as well. They're
01:27:03hoping it's the one on Sunday in South Florida.
01:27:09Antonio Martinez, first touch since coming on. Top score of the tournament with the four goals.
01:27:15Larin, able to hold it up in the traffic. Ali Ahmed now.
01:27:19DePaul, shadowing him in for Osorio.
01:27:22Koenig.
01:27:25Schoenierre. For Liam Miller. Johnston all the way wide, they come back inside.
01:27:40We're seeing the usual defensive shape for Argentina in the game. Back five.
01:27:48Ahmed, going to cross off. Trips over the ball, being hounded now. Needs some help.
01:27:54Trying to knock that off of Romero for a throw, and it's cleared.
01:28:02And Cornelius, another missed touch. He's able to clean it up for Crapo.
01:28:05What do you think Argentina would have learned from this? We said blowing
01:28:08two goal leads twice at the World Cup. How do they approach these moments differently?
01:28:11Well, I think you saw a lot of Lionel Scaloni yelling to his team, even just in those
01:28:16last couple of moments, get up the field, get up the field, don't sit deep, don't invite the
01:28:20pressure from Canada, which is going to come because they want to try to find a goal and
01:28:24get back into this game. A bit of pressure there coming, but that's why they switched to the back
01:28:28five. They still have to find moments to release and find Latauro Martinez. Gonzalez can push up
01:28:33on the left-hand side when they do win that ball back, but you don't want to just settle back deep
01:28:39and allow Canada to cross and cross and put pressure on, even though there's only eight
01:28:42minutes plus probably a bigger stoppage number coming here, but that's why even in these moments
01:28:47they're trying to squeeze up the field and force Canada into some turnovers. Being able to help
01:28:53muscle Ezequiel Palacios to win that ball back. But getting that second goal was huge. That goal
01:28:57from Messi gives you that two-goal cushion, and it's not just the one like you saw against Ecuador,
01:29:02and then they find a way to drag the game to penalties, which is where it would go if this
01:29:06game was tied after the end of regulation. Down there behind Osorio, he's able to flip it along
01:29:11for Ahmed. Here's the cross for Alistair Johnson. He's wearing the captain's armband now with Alfonso
01:29:18Davies off hurt, and that's a great step interception on the outside. Alexander Martinez, Messi
01:29:25trying to play for Latauro Martinez and unable to win it back. Seven minutes plus stoppage time to go
01:29:33on this great night, this wonderful occasion.
01:29:37One of the biggest moments in Canada's men's soccer history.
01:29:41How will they go down if they do indeed go down?
01:29:46Jesse Marsh waving his arms, urging players to get forward.
01:29:57Miller driving inside. Osorio able to turn with it. Osorio
01:30:02wide for Ahmed, back for Miller. Miller crossing back, calls Larin, couldn't do anything with that.
01:30:12Gotta give him a chance there at the back post, at a height that he can attack it because Kyle
01:30:18Larin was posted up on Alessandro Martinez there, and he got himself into a good spot. Miller has
01:30:24a lot of time to deliver this ball, just floats it too high, and then it's drifting away. He's
01:30:28trying to reach for it, ends up making a bit of contact with Martinez at the end, but look how he's
01:30:32got his hands on him, he's got the forearm up, throwing him off balance, just great defending,
01:30:37especially huge height advantage there for Kyle Larin.
01:30:49Take the time now, Argentina. Push the bodies up, and you see the flag in the side of Emiliano
01:30:55Martinez's head. It is, in fact, Independence Day in Argentina. July 9th, marking the date in 1816,
01:31:02they declared independence from Spain. Patriotism from Argentina's goalkeeper.
01:31:11Looks set for a third final in three tournaments as their starting goalkeeper,
01:31:16Guattaro Martinez, commits that foul on Schoenierre. Five minutes to go.
01:31:27Yeah, declaring independence from the nation that's in the Eurofinal on Sunday, so.
01:31:37A common theme of the South American nations, that's why their
01:31:40continental cup competition is called the Copa Libertadores, the Cup of the Liberators,
01:31:45from Spanish rule in the 19th century. DePaul wants to send this long,
01:31:49and Heron's sliding through as Messi was making the run furthest forward.
01:31:56Now they're doing exactly what they want to do and how they finish off the game. They're
01:32:00disrupting Canada's play, making fouls when they need to, slowing the game down,
01:32:04playing out of pressure, now in possession, knocking the ball around. Some tired Canadian
01:32:09bodies out there now, just chasing shadows, trying to get back in possession.
01:32:15It's a risky field, and Miller's going to pick it up. Miller has Laird, takes it himself,
01:32:22puts it up in the stands.
01:32:26That sums up Canada's night, really, where you feel it might open up. Here comes an opportunity,
01:32:34here's some space, here comes a shot, just lacking that quality, which you would expect.
01:32:38Look, this is the best team in the world, Argentina, and this is a Canadian team that
01:32:42finds themselves in a Copa America semi-final. They've only scored two goals, though, in this
01:32:46tournament to get to this point. Get by Venezuela on penalty kicks, but they, it's clear, they just
01:32:53don't have the depth, first of all, to compete with a team like this in Argentina. They have
01:32:56to play a near-perfect game. Jesse March said that, you can see that on the field as well.
01:33:01In the moments where they needed the quality, they just didn't have it tonight.
01:33:03In the middle again, Osorio, oh boy, up there with Molina.
01:33:19Now that Osorio is down, referee letting Ali Ahmed play on. He gets around the challenge of
01:33:25Molina, DePaul stuffs it. Now DePaul trying to turn the corner, Schwannier slides through,
01:33:30and he needs to figure out where that ball is. Osorio back to his feet, Panay taken off it.
01:33:37Alonso Fernandez, Fernandez had that blocked by Liam Miller, now Canada's really chasing
01:33:43with whatever they have left in the tank, and a very warm human night. Messi,
01:33:47Bernal has just held his ground. He's going to get a yellow card for Molina, and he should. That
01:33:54was a pretty nasty, resembled a check into the boards here. As Osorio released that ball,
01:34:00he just laid one on him. Is that our quote of hockey references for tonight? That's three in
01:34:04total. Is that three? Okay, yeah. I missed your second one. Well, Molina not one of the players
01:34:12at risk of suspension for the final. The yellow card accumulation, and another Sunday on Fox. It
01:34:18is the summer's major soccer tournaments coming to a close. Begin the day in Berlin, the Euro
01:34:23final at 2 p.m. Eastern, 11 a.m. Pacific, followed by the Copa America final from Miami,
01:34:287 Eastern, 4 Pacific. Live on Fox, looks set for, we know Spain for sure, Argentina barring
01:34:35something crazy. It'll be the Dutch or the English in Berlin. It'll be Colombia or Uruguay in Miami,
01:34:42and we'll find that out tomorrow with another day-night doubleheader. Again, it's a giveaway.
01:34:46Kyle Lahren hands it off. Oh, it was shade kick save Martinez, and it falls kindly into his hands,
01:34:53and he will celebrate his second save of the entire night, his ninth of the tournament.
01:35:00Just a bad turnover in the end, and no need to invite that pressure and even potentially
01:35:05crack the door open for Canada here. They've kept them far away for their goal, and Martinez,
01:35:11look at that. It takes that little backspin because it comes off the bottom of his leg here,
01:35:16as he was going down to the right. He was anticipating that's where the ball was going to go.
01:35:21I mean, how easily that comes underneath his leg and skips through. If you think about the
01:35:25Messi goal, the little touch, and it comes off Kropotkin's face instead of being saved. It's
01:35:30these little tiny moments that have such an outsized effect. Probably Ahmed might have
01:35:35just nutmegged Lionel Messi. We'll find out in the replay. 30 seconds plus stoppage time to go.
01:35:40Here's Manel Kone carrying forward. Is there a last-ditch effort from Canada? Long switch to Ahmed.
01:35:50Ahmed trying to find the space. Molina on a yellow card cuts it back for Osorio. Osorio's cross
01:35:55is headed just wide. It was Oluseyi again as Laron got out of the way of it. Wow, Canada really
01:36:02created a couple of good chances here. That last one, and they both fall into Oluseyi here, and
01:36:07this is a wonderful ball across. Great work from Ahmed initially beating his defender. That opens
01:36:12up the space now. Nice run down the channel where Molina had stepped out of the gap, and the ball
01:36:17was hit across so hard across the box there that all you had to do is redirect it on target, and
01:36:22that's what he's trying to do. He just glances it too far past the post. My goodness, that would
01:36:27have been a wild finish had that one gone in. Fine margins again. Laron lets it go. Oluseyi
01:36:35has a long time to look at it coming across. He does the right thing. You see him try to redirect
01:36:40it down into the ground and stay over the top of it and give it a chance. Well, our stopwatch in
01:36:46the booth suggests it should have been more than four minutes. The stopwatch on Canada's bench
01:36:50suggests it should have been more than four minutes. At this point, they're just kind of
01:36:54smiling and laughing and rolling their eyes, but it is four minutes will play. Molina earlier
01:36:58shoulder right into Osorio's chest. That's what got him the yellow card.
01:37:05So three minutes still to go. Canada in need of two goals.
01:37:12Unless the party will start, and it won't stop until Sunday night in Miami.
01:37:16To be fair, the party's been going on since two and a half weeks ago in Atlanta.
01:37:33Whether he's onside or not, offside, flag comes up.
01:37:42Let's start with Canada. As you said, they scored two goals. They had opponents sent
01:37:46off in two of their matches. They should have had Moise Bombito sent off in one of their matches.
01:37:52Here's the Cornelius one. Try to take away any sour grapes from us U.S. fans, but like,
01:37:58what do we make of Canada's? Canada doesn't matter how, but they're in a semifinal of Copa
01:38:04America, and that's way more of a success than the United States. And it doesn't matter. He
01:38:08scored two goals. It's about playing the tournament. They played the group stage.
01:38:12Sure, they played a man for a total of 100 minutes across two different games,
01:38:17and they only scored one goal in the group stage, and they get one against Venezuela,
01:38:21but a lot to build on from this Canadian team. I think the biggest challenge for Jesse Marsh is
01:38:25to build depth now. Thompson's going to get there in less than two minutes now.
01:38:36The weather comes inside. It's all the way through.
01:38:40They've got two years to build towards the World Cup. What about with Argentina?
01:38:44They're going to go to a third consecutive final, a chance for a third consecutive title.
01:38:49Fascinating to see whether they get Colombia or Uruguay. Is there one of those two that
01:38:53they would rather not meet in Miami? Man, either team there. There are so many
01:38:59fascinating storylines, the high-octane, high-pressing Uruguay that can mix it up
01:39:05with Argentina in different ways, and are coming in great form. Colombia,
01:39:09they're on beaten streak as they continue tomorrow. I don't think you can go wrong
01:39:13from a neutral perspective of what that final could look like. And ultimately,
01:39:17I think the best three teams, the best two teams will be left in that final. But
01:39:22Argentina's ability also to not play their best soccer but still win games,
01:39:27and just rely on individual brilliance, and just solid defensive organized team,
01:39:33just so organized, so efficient, so in tune. And they're not a team you want to face either. They
01:39:40can mix it up. As we've said, they can make the game rough. They can have the beautiful
01:39:44attacking soccer too. It's going to be wonderful. This team just continues to roll on.
01:39:49They will be playing either the team with the longest current unbeaten streak in the world
01:39:55in Colombia, or they will be playing even more than Brazil, their greatest historical rival
01:40:01in Uruguay. And the referee ends the game, and we will see Argentina Sunday night in Miami
01:40:09for the Copa America final.
01:40:19Well, the good news for Argentina and Lionel Messi is you saw a better version of Messi
01:40:36tonight than you saw against Ecuador for the opponents. That's not a good sign because
01:40:41still this is a team that finds ways to get results, keeping clean sheets,
01:40:46barreling through their opponent. Canada didn't really have a chance tonight. They had the odd
01:40:50opportunity here and there, but this was Argentina in control for the first minute of the game.
01:40:55They find ways to just suffocate you, and they roll on and look to go and win a third title
01:41:01now between the Copa America 21, World Cup title in 22, and will it be another Copa America 2024?
01:41:08Until we talk to you tomorrow night from Charlotte, let's send it back to Rob Stone
01:41:12in Los Angeles as it finishes here at the Meadowlands. Argentina 2, Canada 0.