Lionel Messi led Argentina to a 1-0 victory over Chile at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, securing their spot in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Copa America. The win means that the reigning world champions will finish at the top of Group A with a game to spare. They previously defeated Canada in their opening match, achieving their objective in the group stage.
Although Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in the 88th minute, Argentina dominated the game with 59% possession and 22 goal attempts. They largely limited Chile to just three attempts of their own. Despite an xG of 2.87, Argentina’s only disappointment was their inability to score more than one goal.
Messi played a crucial role in the Argentine attack, pairing up front with Alvarez. His job was to hold up the ball and provide a threat behind the opposition’s defense. With only 27 touches, Messi created valuable space for his teammates and executed his role effectively.
After scoring in the previous match against Canada, Alvarez had an opportunity to add another goal in the first half against Chile. Positioned perfectly in front of goal, he was unable to beat Claudio Bravo with his left-footed shot. Argentina will now face Peru in their final group stage match before advancing to the quarter-finals.