Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch has described the upcoming Copa América semifinal match against Lionel Messi and Argentina as a ‘privilege’, Soccernet.football reports.
He also shared his team’s plan to contain Messi when they face each other on Tuesday.
“We didn’t do well enough with Messi last match, he was able to run free at our goalkeeper too much,” Marsch said.
“We won’t man mark, but we will certainly place an emphasis on how to defend him. How to keep track of him will be really important, and the things that make it difficult for him like limiting his space is our number one thing.”
Marsch stressed that preventing Messi from running free at their backline is crucial. He acknowledged Messi as the greatest player ever and expressed the respect his team has for him.
Argentina will include Messi in their starting lineup, which boosts coach Lionel Scaloni’s offence and presents a challenge for Canada, the last Concacaf team in the tournament.
“Our players will be up for it, and excited,” Marsch added. “The challenge is big. We’ll see if we can do better than we did in the first match.”
The two teams will meet for the second time in this tournament, after Argentina’s 2-0 win in their opening game on June 20 in Atlanta. Scaloni noted that the first match result doesn’t mean much in preparation for the semifinal.
“We don’t know [if facing them a second time is an advantage or disadvantage],” Scaloni said. “Every coach takes notes and corrects mistakes. Every coach and team will do something different, we will be behind the ball and try for them not to execute their plan.”
Scaloni praised Canada’s physical and technical skills, as well as their aggressive playing style. He hopes Argentina’s strategies will work in their favour.
Canada reached the semifinals by defeating Venezuela in a penalty shootout, while Argentina also needed penalties to overcome Ecuador. Both teams are vying for a spot in the final on July 14.
“The goal when one plays this tournament is to reach the final and play all possible games,” Scaloni said. “First we accomplished in reaching the semifinal and we hope to accomplish tomorrow the final.”
The winner of Tuesday’s match will head to Miami, Florida, for the final, while the loser will play in the third place match in Charlotte, North Carolina.