Argentina vs Chile live updates: Lautaro Martinez scores again to seal Copa America 2024 victory
Result — Argentina 1-0 Chile
- Argentina beat Chile 1-0 to maintain their perfect start to 2024 Copa America
- Lautaro Martinez scored a late goal to earn all three points
- Lionel Messi overcame some rough treatment and an early injury scare
- Canada beat Peru 1-0 in earlier Copa America Group A match
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Chile 0-1 Argentina takeaways: Late winner, Messi’s injury scare, Argentina in quarterfinals
Messi to ‘see how it goes’ with hamstring problem
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Lionel Messi will “see how it goes” after a physical meeting with Chile at Copa America saw him undergo treatment on an apparent injury.
The Argentina captain, 37, was looked at by training staff in the first half of his side's 1-0 win at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey after a heavy challenge from Chile defender Gabriel Suazo.
Messi completed 90 minutes but revealed after the game he had been harbouring concerns from the start.
“I felt some discomfort in my right hamstring at the beginning of the game,” he told reporters.
“It was tight. It wasn’t as loose as it should’ve been. But I was able to finish the game. We’ll see how it goes.”
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Lionel Messi will ‘see how it goes’ after hamstring discomfort in Argentina Copa America win
Lionel Scaloni on Messi, Argentina’s win and Gareca
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Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has told reporters he doesn’t yet know about Lionel Messi’s fitness — but pointed towards the fact the 37-year-old ended his side’s 1-0 win over Chile by sprinting 50 meters to join a late attack.
Messi was the victim of some rough play in Monday’s game and, midway through the first half, received treatment on his upper right leg area. Messi finished the game but he has already missed six games this MLS season due to muscle injuries.
Scaloni, however, appeared to ease concerns over Messi’s fitness after the 1-0 victory.
He said: “I didn't speak with him after the game. He ended up playing, through.
“You saw he had the 50-meter sprint there with Angel (Di Maria) and Lautaro (Martinez), and it’s the last image I have (in my head). I can’t say more because I haven’t seen him.”
Scaloni added that it was a “well-deserved victory” for Argentina, who have already secured progression to the Copa America knockout stage as Group A winners with a game to spare.
He said: “A well-deserved victory, I’d say. The truth is the game was not easy, and it was won during the least expected moment, I’d say, because the game was ending.
“But, like always, the team continued to create, continued to attack. In the last few days, the 12 first players began to open up a little more. I think the victory is deserved, because Argentina did all it could, but they (Chile) were a very tough rival. Chile did a great job.
“Ricardo (Gareca) is doing a great job (with the team) and, well, it’s like we always say - in the end, there is no easy game.”
What does this result mean?
Argentina is through to the quarterfinals of the Copa America but it could yet be in first or second place in Group A. Lionel Scaloni’s side lead its group with six points and a +3 goal difference after two matches, followed by Canada (three points, -1 GD), Chile (one point, -1 GD) and Peru (one point, -1 GD).
Argentina’s final game is against Peru (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL) while Canada face Chile (Inter & Co Stadium, Orlando, FL). Both matches kick off at 8 pm ET on Saturday.
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Chile 0-1 Argentina takeaways: Late winner, Messi’s injury scare, Argentina in quarterfinals
How was Argentina's goal scored?
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It was a painstaking final 10 minutes as a scoreless draw drew ever closer. But victory came for Argentina after two quick corner attempts – the first with Messi attempting yet again attempting the elusive Olimpico. It was off the second corner that Lautaro Martinez buried the ball in the net, with a sold-out crowd of roughly 82,000 fans on their feet.
Even then there was jeopardy, however, as the video assistant referee checked the goal for offside interference. The check took several minutes… but eventually went in Argentina’s favor.
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Chile 0-1 Argentina takeaways: Late winner, Messi’s injury scare, Argentina in quarterfinals
How did Chile approach the match?
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Clearly, Chile doesn’t fear Argentina. And why would they? La Roja can confidently say that they owned Argentina in two consecutive Copa America finals (2015 and 2016). Sure the Chileans have hung on to their old guard for far too long, but there’s one thing Chile has always done well: frustrate their opponents. If their press isn’t working, they’ll sit deeper and aim to stop play with calculated fouls. Chile is among South America’s masters of the dark arts and that’s what kept them in the match after 45 minutes.
Messi was frustrated with Uruguayan referee Andres Matonte, as cameras caught the Argentina captain saying “dos faltas” (two fouls) by the Chileans that he felt went unpunished. Chile did not record a shot in the first half (their first came in the 72nd minute) as Argentina dominated possession. Chile head coach Ricardo Gareca had told reporters before the match that Chile would bring their characteristic intensity to the match and attempt to set the tone, despite facing the world’s No. 1 ranked team. He wasn’t kidding.
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Chile 0-1 Argentina takeaways: Late winner, Messi’s injury scare, Argentina in quarterfinals
Was Messi’s first-half injury cause for concern?
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Messi was off to the side of the pitch for a few minutes in the first half. Argentina pressed on with one or two offensive plays without him, as Argentina’s trainer worked on Messi’s upper right leg area. Messi had his share of collisions with Chilean players but it was unclear what happened to Argentina’s captain.
The injury was short-lived, and Messi was back in action within minutes. He seemed in good spirits, too. Not long after that scary moment, he had a long-range strike that nearly gave Argentina a lead before halftime, and he then played right through a group of Chilean players. That last move drew audible gasps in the press box.
Still, any Messi injury is enough to raise eyebrows. The Inter Miami striker missed six games this MLS season due to muscle injuries, and had manager Tata Martino playing Messi under limited minutes. When Argentina traveled for a pair of friendlies in the US, Messi was a notable absence. His teammates at the time said they missed their captain and expressed how they wanted Messi to prioritize rest to make a full recovery in time for Copa America.
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Chile 0-1 Argentina takeaways: Late winner, Messi’s injury scare, Argentina in quarterfinals
Mac Allister looks ahead to Peru match
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Finally, Alexis Mac Allister said: "It was a challenging match to play, man-to-man all over the field. It was a very tough match and we got the victory, which is the most important thing.
"We always face the matches with everything we have. Now we have to rest and think about Peru."
Romero: 'We are still hungry to achieve things'
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After the game, Cristian Romero spoke about how challenging the matchup was: "It was a tough match. In the Copa América it seems that all the teams play us the same way.
"We are happy because we played a good match. We showed that we are doing very well and that we are still hungry to achieve things."
Emi Martinez lauds Argentina striker duo
Emi Martinez added that Argentina have "two of the best strikers in the world" in Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez.
Martinez, who scored the game's lone goal, also spoke afterward: "I stayed there and was able to score. These games are like that, but we were able to win it. We are happy because we ended up getting the three points, which is what we wanted. My family is here and I play for them."
Argentina clinch quarterfinal berth
Argentina are through to the quarterfinals of Copa America with two wins from two games, but it could yet be in first or second place in Group A.
Scaloni's side lead the group with six points and a +3 goal difference after two matches, followed by Canada (three points, -1 GD), Chile (one point, -1 GD) and Peru (one point, -1 GD).
Argentina's final game is against Peru in Miami and Canada face Chile in Orlando, both on Saturday.
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