Argentina will begin the defense of its Copa America title when it takes on Canada at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on June 20. La Albiceleste beat Brazil 1-0 in the final of the last Copa America tournament, ending a 28-year trophy drought. They then won the World Cup in December 2022.
Canada is a heavy underdog for this game, but Jesse Marsch’s team has a great deal of pace on the counterattack. The Canadians held France to a 0-0 draw in a pre-tournament friendly, which should provide the players with encouragement as they prepare to face Lionel Messi. Our Copa America betting page also has more info.
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Argentina might have to avoid complacency to win
Argentina suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia at the start of the 2022 World Cup. The players may have been a little complacent, as they approached the game as overwhelming favorites but failed to capitalize upon their dominance. La Albiceleste quickly rallied, beating Mexico 2-0 in their subsequent game, and they ended up lifting the trophy. However, that defeat to Saudi Arabia should serve as a cautionary tale.
The players cannot afford to take their opponents lightly in this game. They will need to be focused and disciplined against Canada. La Albiceleste have won 12 out of 13 games since they clinched the World Cup 18 months ago, and they looked sharp when they beat Ecuador 1-0 in a pre-tournament friendly. That bodes well for their chances of success in the United States this summer, but they will need to approach the tournament with the right mindset.
Canada’s path to victory likely includes Davies and Buchanan
Canada will need to defend diligently if it is to win this game. Argentina is likely to dominate possession, with Messi and Ángel Di María pulling the strings on attack. It will be difficult to keep them at bay for 90 minutes, but the Canadians managed to shut out Ousmane Dembélé, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, and Kylian Mbappé in their 0-0 draw with France on June 9, so anything is possible.
They will also need to be quick and incisive on counterattack. Alphonso Davies is rapid on the left flank, and Tajon Buchanan provides a similar level of pace and unpredictability on the right side of the pitch. If Canada’s midfielders can unleash that duo, they might be able to pull off a major upset in this game.
Argentina expected starting 11
There are no major injury concerns for Lionel Scaloni right now, so he should be able to send out his strongest starting XI. Emiliano Martínez will start in goal, with Gonzalo Montiel at right-back and either Marcos Acuña or Nicolás Tagliafico on the left. Manchester United’s Lisandro Martínez recently recovered from a long-term injury, so he is likely to partner with Tottenham’s Cristian Romero at the heart of the defense, although veteran Nicolás Otamendi offers another option.
Enzo Fernández has also just returned to action following a lengthy injury layoff. He typically starts alongside Rodrigo De Paul and Alexis Mac Allister in Argentina’s midfield, but he may not yet be fit enough to play 90 minutes. If not, Leandro Paredes could deputize, while Giovani Lo Celso and Exequiel Palacios provide depth. Messi, Di María, and Julián Álvarez are likely to form an attacking triumvirate, although Lautaro Martínez is pushing for a starting berth after a superb season with Inter Milan.
Canada expected starting 11
Marsch could stick with the starting XI that drew 0-0 with France earlier this month. Maxime Crépau is the first-choice goalkeeper. Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies often started in attack when John Herdman was Canada’s manager, but he has returned to his usual position since Marsch took the reins. We could see Celtic’s Alistair Johnson at right-back, with Derek Cornelius and Moïse Bombito in the middle.
Stephen Eustáquio and Ismaël Koné formed a solid midfield partnership against France, although Jonathan Osorio provides another option. Buchanan could start on the right of the midfield, with Liam Millar on the left and Cyle Larin and Jonathan David up front. David has scored 26 goals in 48 games for Canada, so Argentina’s defenders will need to keep a close eye on him.
