In the opening match of the Copa América, Argentina triumphed 2-0 over Canada, securing a strong start. Following the game, Goal.com assessed the Argentine players’ performances, giving Lionel Messi an impressive 8 out of 10 despite his two missed opportunities. The publication highlighted that both goals were intricately linked to Messi’s involvement.
During the first half, Canada showed better form and effectively stifled Argentina’s chances, focusing their defense primarily on Messi. However, this did not deter Messi from guiding Argentina to a 2-0 win, with goals from Álvarez and Lautaro playing key roles.
Defensive players, lacking significant attacking contributions, generally received lower scores, with Romero standing out at 8 points for his crucial saves. Midfielder MacAllister also earned an 8, credited for his role in Álvarez’s goal.
Among the forwards, Di Maria, who missed a clear-cut chance, was rated 6, while Álvarez, the goal-scorer, garnered 7 points. Despite not finding the back of the net, Messi’s overall impact was acknowledged with an equal-high score of 8, emphasizing his crucial role in the team’s success.
Substitutes like Lautaro, who contributed with the insurance goal, received an 8 as well. Coach Scaloni, with a 7, was praised for achieving a winning start but with more expected of him in the tournament.
—
Note: The HTML tags and image links were preserved in the translation.