NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Lionel Messi won't be stopped by a leg injury and will play in Argentina's Copa America semifinal against Canada on Tuesday night.
Messi has been dealing with since the 1-0 group stage win over Chile on June 25. He missed the first-round finale four days later but played the entire match in last Thursday. Argentina and Ecuador were tied 1-1 after regulation time. Argentina then won 4-2 on penalties.
"Leo is good. He will be playing tomorrow,鈥� Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
At 37, Messi has 13 Copa America goals and is four behind the record shared by Argentina鈥檚 Norberto M茅ndez and Brazil鈥檚 Zizinho but hasn't scored in this year's tournament.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an easy decision for me,鈥� Scaloni said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a fairly honest decision: I ask him how he feels. If he says 鈥業鈥檓 not good,' then he will play the last 30 minutes. When he鈥檚 available, he will play.鈥�
Seeking a record 16th Copa America title, when Messi set up second-half goals by Juli谩n 脕lvarez and Lautaro Mart铆nez.
鈥淲e didn't do well enough with Messi last match. He was able to run free at our goalkeeper too much," said Jesse Marsch, the American hired as Canada's coach in May. 鈥淲e all know he's the greatest player to ever play the game.鈥�
Argentina outshot Canada 19-10, including 9-2 on target, and had 64 per cent possession.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more of (an) advantage that we were able to play against them than it was for them to play against us,鈥� Marsch said.
Both teams are coming off quarterfinal wins on penalty kicks. Canada, an invited guest from North America, 4-3 on penalties after the sides were tied 1-1 after regulation time.
In the other semifinal, Uruguay plays Colombia on Wednesday night in Charlotte, N.C. The championship is Sunday at Miami Gardens, Fla.
Argentina will have four days鈥� rest, one more than Canada, but both teams are coming off tough 90-minute matches. Tournament regulations call for extra time to be used only if needed in the final.
Argentina is seeking to win its third major title after the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup and to equal the feat of Spain, which won the European Championship in 2008 and 鈥�12 along with the 2010 World Cup. The Albiceleste are tied with Uruguay for most Copa America titles with 15.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Mart铆nez has won four straight shootouts, in the 2021 Copa semifinals, in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals and in the final, then last week.
Martinez, 6-foot-5, constantly shuffling his feet and a chatterbox trying to distract opponents, saved eight of 18 shots, stopping Colombia鈥檚 Davinson S谩nchez, Yerry Mina and Edwin Cardona; the Netherlands鈥� Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis; France鈥檚 Kingsley Coman; and Ecuador鈥檚 脕ngel Mena and Alan Minda.
Canada was eliminated in the group stage of its only World Cup appearances in 1986 and 2022. It won the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup after gaining the title of a predecessor tournament, the 1985 CONCACAF Championship.
鈥淲e鈥檙e playing against the best team in the world,鈥� said Cyle Larin, Canada's career leader with 29 goals. 鈥淲e have a lot of speed and power, but I think over those days we鈥檝e been together we鈥檝e been growing.鈥�
鈥� AP Sports Writer Eric N煤帽ez in East Rutherford, New Jersey, contributed to this report
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AP Copa America coverage:
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
