In a rematch of the 2015 Copa América final and 2016 Copa América Centenario final, Argentina meets Chile in both teams’ second group match of the 2024 edition of the tournament – at MetLife Stadium the same stadium where Chile defeated Argentina in that 2016 contest.
By Jon Arnold
It will, however, feel like a very different game than anything that took place in New Jersey eight years ago. A frustrated Messi contemplated international retirement after falling short in 2016 but entered this tournament triumphant, having won the Copa América in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022. The good vibes continued for Argentina in the opening match, though they failed to convert a number of clear chances in a 2-0 victory over Canada. With Lionel Messi celebrating his 37th birthday on Monday, Argentina will hope to continue the festive mood in the camp with another victory.
In addition to inspecting the pitch more closely after frustrations with the surface in Atlanta, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni also is expected to make a few changes to his starting XI. After not playing in the opening match both midfielder Enzo Fernández and winger Nicolás González – are hoping to earn a start, as is Nicolás Talgiafico, who came in as a substitute for Marcos Acuña.
There are a few Chilean players who helped lifted that 2016 trophy still contributing to La Roja. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and attacker Alexis Sánchez started for Chile in its opening match, a scoreless draw against Peru. Chile manager Ricardo Gareca has, however, moved on from golden generation members like defender Gary Medel, midfielder Arturo Vidal and midfielder Charles Aránguiz.
He’ll be without creative midfielder Diego Valdes, who left the opening match with an injury, and likely will start Darío Osorio, a talented, young attacker but one without the same playmaking brain Valdés possesses. Chile will need attacking contributions from elsewhere after controlling the first half of their contest with Peru but struggling to build from the back in the second when Peru moved its press higher and complicated things for La Roja’s centre-backs – leading to Peru finding a number of scoring chances from the types of transitional moments Argentina can punish.
A win would put Argentina through into the next phase of the competition and give Scaloni an opportunity to make even more modifications to his squad in the finale against Peru.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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