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Misfiring Lionel Messi likened to Romelu Lukaku after disaster class against Canada

Argentina started their Copa America campaign in style with the defending champions picking up a 2-0 win over Canada. Both Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez ran the show, with the two strikers finding themselves on the scoresheet. However, it was skipper Lionel Messi who failed to impress, as La Pulga had a torrid night in front of the goal.

The Inter Miami skipper has been in sublime goal-scoring form this summer. Fans hoped the player would put on similar performances for the Albiceleste during the Copa America. Well, things did not turn out as expected, with Messi failing to make the most of his chances. The Argentine skipper took 6 shots throughout the game with just three on target. Even his passing accuracy which floats above 90% saw a dip against Canada.

Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi (Getty Images)

Fans were not impressed with the Argentine skipper with many comparing him to Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian striker too had a tough night in the opening Euro 2024 game for his team as he missed multiple chances which saw his team end on the receiving end of a massive upset. It will be interesting to see how Lionel Messi bounces back from the setback with a lot of Argentina’s performance dependent on their skipper.

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Julian Alvarez & Lautaro Martinez bail out Lionel Messi

While Lionel Messi failed to make a major impact for his team, it was Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez who ensured Argentina stayed on top of the contest. It was Alvarez who opened the scoring for his team. The Manchester City star connected with Alexis Mac Allister’s assist as he smashed the ball past Crepeau to put it into the back of the net.

Despite the opening goal, Argentina still did not have control over the contest. Canada threatened the defending champions on multiple occasions and came very close to leveling the game. It was Lautaro Martinez who stepped up and found the winning goal for Argentina in the dying minutes of regulation time. With the win sealed, Lionel Scaloni and his men will have to turn their focus on how to make the most of Lionel Messi, with the player’s form a crucial factor in the team’s performance.

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