Lionel Messi was not in uniform for Argentina on Saturday night, yet tens of thousands of fans in the sold-out Hard Rock Stadium proudly wore his iconic No. 10 jersey. The Albiceleste managed to beat Peru 2-0, clinching the first place in Copa America Group A. The match saw both goals scored by Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez, who has now tallied four goals in three games.
Argentina had already secured a spot in the quarterfinals before this match. Therefore, the coaching staff decided to make nine changes to the starting lineup, allowing Messi to rest and recover from an upper right thigh injury. The hope is that he will be fit to play in the knockout rounds, beginning on Thursday in Houston. Despite not playing, Messi was present on the bench, cheering on his teammates. When the stadium screens showed him, the crowd of 64,972 erupted with cheers and chants of “Messi! Messi!”
Match Highlights and Dominance
Messi leaped up to celebrate both of Martinez’s goals and appeared to be in a jovial mood whenever the camera panned to him. Argentina dominated the match from start to finish, showcasing superior pace and passing. Although it took until the second half for them to score, the reigning Copa America and World Cup champions outclassed Peru throughout the game. They controlled possession for 74 percent of the game and finished with six shots on goal, compared to just one for Peru.
Tactical Decisions and Player Performances
Argentina will be joined in the knockout rounds by Group A runner-up Canada. They are set to play the second-place team from Group B in the quarterfinals. As it stands, Venezuela leads Group B with six points, while Ecuador and Mexico are tied with three points each.
Lionel Scaloni, Argentina’s head coach, was also absent due to a one-game suspension for taking too long to get his team on the field for the second half of their first two games against Canada and Chile. Scaloni was fined $15,000 for this infraction. In his place, assistant coach Walter Samuel took charge of the Argentina sideline. “We are very pleased with the result, and we got a chance to see players who had not played yet,” Samuel said. “Our players were able to remain patient and get the goals in the second half. We have confidence in all 26 players we brought and we are delighted to have won this game. The guys who had been training so hard deserved to play.” When asked about Messi’s condition and his potential readiness for the quarterfinals, Samuel remained cautious, stating they will take it day by day, given there are several days left for Messi to recuperate. “Leo was in the locker room with us, he seemed better, we spoke to him, but it’s premature to discuss his status for the next game,” Samuel added.
Optimism for Messi’s Return
Defender German Pezzella expressed optimism about Messi’s recovery, saying, “Hopefully he can get to 100 percent quickly. We see him in a very good mood, and he gives us the feeling that he’ll be with us next game.” Angel Di Maria, who will retire from the national team after this Copa America, wore the captain’s armband in Messi’s absence. Di Maria enjoyed a special moment before the game as his young daughter, Mia, walked out hand in hand with him, and they stood side by side for the national anthem. Afterward, he gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“Unfortunately, I only get to wear it when something is wrong with Leo (Messi), and that I don’t like, but it was a special night,” Di Maria said. “And each time I have worn it we have won, so for that, I am very happy. There isn’t much time left for me, so to be able to enjoy it with my family, with my daughter on the field, was something very nice.” Di Maria added that the team felt at home in South Florida and was touched by the huge crowds in Miami, New Jersey, and Atlanta. “We always feel like the home team,” he said. “The stadiums are full wherever we go, and that is why we want to give the fans the maximum in every game to make them happy. We know the tickets are not cheap, and it isn’t easy to get to where we are, so to be able to give them some happiness is very meaningful for us.”
Major Lineup Changes
With the quarterfinal berth in hand, Argentina’s coaching staff opted for significant lineup changes against Peru. The only two starters from the previous game were goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and defender Nicolas Tagliafico. The rest of Argentina’s Starting XI included Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Gonzalo Montiel, Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Lautaro Martinez, Alejandro Garnacho, and Di Maria.
“Our team has not changed since the World Cup, we keep working the same way, and we showed (Saturday) that the younger players played, and the team did not suffer,” Di Maria said. “That’s very important for the coach to know that everyone is available to play.”
Peru’s Lineup and Struggles
Peru’s starters were Pedro Gallese, Carlos Zambrano, Alexander Callens, Oliver Sonne, Aldo Corzo, Bryan Reyna, Sergio Pena, Wilder Cartagena, Marcos Lopez, Edison Flores, and Paolo Guerrero. Andy Polo was scheduled to start but felt discomfort during warmups and was replaced by Sonne. Despite the changes, the game was tied 0-0 at halftime. Argentina dominated possession with 79 percent to Peru’s 21 percent and had three shots on goal, while Peru had none. However, Peru goalkeeper Gallese, who plays for MLS club Orlando City, made three significant saves in the first half to keep his team in the game. Gallese made a save on a Paredes free kick and also thwarted shots by Di Maria and Garnacho.
Second Half Breakthrough
Argentina came out on time after intermission and took control right away. Martinez struck two minutes into the second half to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. He collected a through ball from Di Maria and scored with a right-footed shot from the center of the box over Gallese to the right corner. The Inter Milan forward scored again in the closing minutes with another chip shot, solidifying Argentina’s victory.
Martinez has scored in all three Copa America games. He came off the bench and scored in the 88th minute in a 2-0 win against Canada and again in the 88th minute to salvage a 1-0 victory against Chile.
Martinez’s Journey and Reflections
After the game, Martinez shared how gratifying this tournament has been after suffering through an ankle injury during the Qatar World Cup. “Obviously, I enjoyed the World Cup with my teammates because it was my first one, but it was a tough time with a lot of sadness because my ankle was bothering me a lot,” he said. “There were moments I wanted to have surgery because I couldn’t stand the pain. But now I can enjoy it with my family because I worked hard to make up for that World Cup and get to where I am now.” Argentina is seeking its third major title after winning the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup.
Peru’s Coach Comments
With the loss, Peru was eliminated from the tournament. “Our production today was the weakest of our three games,” said Peru coach Jorge Fossati. “That has a few reasons. The first is the quality of the opponent. That is indisputable. They have players of very high caliber. Also, we played against a fresher team, and physically we suffered after the game against Canada, which was played in a very hot stadium, and we finished with 10 men. We couldn’t play our game (against Argentina) and didn’t have the legs we needed.”
The Information is Collected from ESPN and Yahoo.
