USA Striker Lionel Messi revealed he had a hamstring problem before kick-off, but still played the entire match Argentina won 1-0 against Chile in the second round of Group A Copa America 2024.
“I felt a bit of discomfort in my right hamstring at the start of the match. It was very tight, but not as comfortable as usual,” Messi said after the match. “But I can still play the whole match. We’ll see how things progress”.
Messi had pain in his right thigh, limped several times and had to be massaged by a doctor in the first half, but still played outstandingly. The 37-year-old star played the full 90 minutes, touched the ball 65 times and passed 94% accurately. He leads in many parameters, including five key passes, 18 passes in the final third and successful dribbles seven times.
The biggest impression was when Messi finished from outside the penalty area and bounced the ball against the post in the 36th minute. The Argentine captain also lifted the ball over the head of 41-year-old goalkeeper Claudio Bravo once in the second half, but could not penetrate Chile’s goal.
Messi has not been able to score at the Copa America, but Argentina continued to win, thanks to a close-range kick from substitute striker Lautaro Martinez in the 88th minute. Argentina increased its unbeaten streak in the Copa America to 10 matches and soon won a ticket to the quarterfinals. .
“We knew the match would be very physical,” Messi expressed. “Meeting Chile is always difficult. They played very determined and fiery, but we accomplished our goal of winning and reaching the quarterfinals”.
Coach Lionel Scaloni did not reveal Messi’s injury situation, but confirmed that he will give opportunities to many reserve players in the final round against Peru on the morning of June 30, Hanoi time. The 46-year-old coach admitted that Argentina faced many difficulties against Chile, but the win was worth the effort until the last minute.
Martinez scored five goals in the last five matches for Argentina, including the opening two matches of the 2024 Copa America after coming on as a substitute. Scaloni left open the possibility of placing Martinez and Julian Alvarez in the starting lineup in the match against Peru. “Today, Martinez scored and was the first to be happy. Alvarez was the second and I was the third,” the Argentina coach added.
Emiliano Martinez – the goalkeeper who made amazing saves three times against Chile – also praised the striker duo. “Argentina has two of the best strikers in the world, Alvarez and Martinez”, said the 31-year-old goalkeeper. “Chile played determinedly and wanted to win, but Argentina deserved to win. I always have to save at least two situations per match and luckily I can still do that”.
