ATLANTA -- Through the first 45 minutes of the 2024 Copa America opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Thursday, the entire Argentina front line, including the game's greatest player, was nowhere to be found.
In Jesse Marsch's first competitive match as Canada head coach, Les Rouges had been exceptional, as their midfield press routinely hassled the defending champions and kept them from cooking up their usual suppertime helping of chances in the attacking third.
Yet, as Canada learned the hard way, Lionel Messi is inevitable, even on his and Argentina's harder days.
Keeping Messi and Co. locked down for one half might be manageable, but for a whole game is truly the game's greatest challenge — even when he doesn't have his best stuff.
MORE: Relive Argentina's 2-0 victory over Canada in 2024 Copa America opener
Lionel Messi struggles vs. Canada but still provides winning moment
Lionel Messi resides at the very core of the Argentina side, living deep within a nation's soul. The 36-year-old holds a football skeleton key, able to unlock any defensive line even on days where it seems the pins simply will not be picked.
Argentina whiffed on chance after chance against Canada, as goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau stood tall to repeated poor finishes that failed to find the relatively large windows. Messi was far from immune to the failures, most notably missing a double chance early in the second half where Crepeau made a big save, before Derek Cornelius blocked the follow-up with his head.
Overall, Argentina missed an enormous seven "big chances" in the match, including two by Messi. Others were equally culpable, as Angel Di Maria botched an early two-on-none breakaway by failing to chip the goalkeeper, and Lautaro Martinez came up empty with an enormous opportunity before eventually finding his goal in the 88th minute.
Yet amidst the struggles was, as always, the difference-making moment of the match, all begun by that man Messi. His delicious vertical ball for Alexis Mac Allister created the chance for their first goal and sent Argentina on their way with the opening goal of an eventual 2-0 win.
It was not a signature match for Argentina or Messi by any stretch, as they were repeatedly hounded by Marsch's trademark press in the first half and missed an insane amount of wide-open chances after the break. Yet, in the end, Messi and the defending world champions earned the necessary three points to avoid disaster and move on with their goal of repeating as Copa America winners unblemished.
Making Argentina suffer isn't enough to beat the No. 1 team in the world — no, you must silence the player whose bravado reverberates around the globe, which Canada just simply could not do.
Lionel Messi stats for Argentina vs. Canada in 2024 Copa America
| Argentina | Stat | L. Messi |
| 19 | Shots | 6 |
| 9 | Shots on target | 3 |
| 2.98 | Expected goals | 0.79 |
| 9 (7) | Big chances (missed) | 2 (2) |
| 549 (606) | Passes (Total) | 39 (44) |
| 19 | Chances created | 5 |
| 15 / 9 | Fouls / Suffered | 1 / 1 |
Lionel Messi had a rough game for Argentina against Canada, but still provided the moment of brilliance required to set the defending champions on their way with an opening-match victory in the 2024 Copa America.
The 36-year-old created five chances, but also missed his two "big chances" and came up without a goal on six total shots.
He was far from the only one, as many of those around him were also thwarted by goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau and the Canada defenders, but Argentina eventually saw their way through.
Next, they move on to a meeting with Chile, where Messi will be expected to produce his dazzling best.
