Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the tournament and Argentina defeated Canada 2-0 to advance to the Copa America final.

Julián Álvarez opened the scoring for Argentina in the 22nd minute.

Messi added a second goal in the 51st minute with a deflection off a shot by Enzo Fernández.

The win extends Argentina’s unbeaten streak to 10 games and puts them one win away from a record 16th Copa America title.

Messi, who turned 37 recently, now has 109 international goals, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 130. Argentina will face either Uruguay or Colombia in the final on Sunday in Miami.

This victory continues Argentina’s quest to replicate Spain’s feat of winning consecutive European Championships and a World Cup, having won the 2022 World Cup.

Canada, despite a strong showing throughout the tournament, fell short against the experienced Argentinian side.Alphonso Davies was forced to leave the game with an ιnjury in the second half. Canada’s defeat ends a surprising run where they outperformed regional rivals Mexico and the United States. However, reaching the Copa America semi-finals is a significant achievement for the young Canadian team.