ATLANTA — Lionel Messi’s through pass set up Julián Alvarez’s goal in the 49th minute and then assisted Lautaro Martinez’s goal in the 88th minute as Argentina began the defence of its Copa America title with a 2-0 win over Canada on Thursday night.
Argentina is aiming to win a third consecutive major trophy by winning the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup.
In the second time the South American championship has been held in the United States, Messi set a Copa America record with 35 appearances, one surpassing the record set by Sergio Livingston, who played for Chile from 1941 to 1953. Messi also extended his record with 18 assists.
Messi, who turns 37 on Monday, set up the opener, heading in a defence-breaking pass to Alexis McAllister following a throw-in.
The midfielder side-footed a pass to Alvarez while colliding with the onrushing goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau from about eight yards out.
With a virtually empty goal, Alvarez smashed the ball over a sliding defender’s head for his eighth goal in 32 international appearances.
Messi raced through the centre of midfield and played a perfect pass to Martinez, who came on in the 76th minute, who slotted it into Crepeau’s goal for his 25th international goal, extending his Copa America record.
Argentina had a 12-3 shot advantage in the second half, but Messi failed to convert two golden chances.
Crepeau made a diving stop in the 65th minute and Messi’s shot from the rebound was blocked by a header from defender Derek Cornelius.
Messi approached Crepeau alone in the 79th minute and fired a chipped shot that went wide.
He was shaken by a sliding tackle by defender Moise Bonvito in the 82nd minute but continued to play in the match.
Argentina will face Chile on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, before finishing off the first round with a trip to Miami Gardens, Florida, where they face Peru on June 29.
Canada will face Peru on Tuesday in Kansas City, Kansas, before finishing off the group stage with a match against Chile in Orlando, Florida, on June 29.
The tournament will be held in 14 stadiums across the United States and will run until June 14, concluding in Miami Gardens, Florida.
As with the 2016 Centennial Copa America, six countries from North America, Central America and the Caribbean were added to the ten South American teams.
Despite a slow start, the Albiceleste have won the past two tournaments.
Argentina lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their opening match of the 2022 World Cup and drew 1-1 with Chile in the 2021 Copa America.
Canada was participating in the Copa America for the first time and playing its first competitive match under American coach Jesse Marsch, who was hired on May 13.
The Canadians have not scored in three straight games under coach Marsh.
Grass was laid over the usual artificial turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Saturday’s Major League Soccer game.
“The pitch was not good, it was very bumpy,” Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said. “It was tough for us. Usually in our game, in our style of game, you want the pitch to be quite slippery and fast.”
Argentina fielded eight players from the starting line-up that beat France in the 2022 World Cup final, bringing on centre-back Lisandro Martinez and left-backs Marcos Acuna and Leandro Paredes in place of Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico and Enzo Fernandez.
Emiliano Martinez was put to the test in the 43rd minute when he deflected Stefan Eustachio’s header with his left hand.
