With the quarterfinals of the Copa América officially complete, the matches for the semi-finals have been set. MetLife Stadium, which was chosen to be one of the host stadiums for a semi-final match, will be hosting the defending champions Argentina as they take on Canada for the second time in the tournament on Tuesday, July 9.
On June 20, Argentina and Canada faced off for the first match of their Copa América group stages, with Argentina securing a victory in a triumphant 2-0 win. Now, the two will face off in East Rutherford with much higher stakes on the line, as the winner of the match will move on to the Copa América finals.
Star-Studded Argentina Team Makes Second Appearance at MetLife in Two Weeks
Nearly two weeks ago, Argentina avenged its 2016 Copa América final loss against Chile, defeating them by a score of 1-0 in MetLife Stadium, the same stadium where they fell short in 2016. Now, Argentina will look to keep its good luck in East Rutherford with an opportunity to win its second consecutive Copa América final on the line.
Argentina enters its game against Canada as significant favorites, not just to win the game, but the entire tournament. Canada’s probability to win the match within 90 minutes was listed at around 10%, with Argentina hovering around 70%. The lop-sided odds can be attributed to Argentina’s star power on the pitch ranging from the Copa América’s leading goalscorer Lautaro Martinez to young star Julián Álvarez and obviously Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
With all of these stars and many more set to take the pitch on Tuesday, July 9, a big crowd is expected in East Rutherford. Argentina’s group stage match against Chile drew over 81,000 spectators to MetLife and with the stakes much higher, that number will most likely increase. With the match imminent, it is important to begin preparing for the severe traffic that could overtake the region prior to the game.
Canada & Argentina Both Look to Make History for Nation
In its debut in the Copa América, Canada has continued to impress, making it further than any of its CONCACAF allies. This year’s Copa América was just the second time that 16 teams competed in the tournament, with 6 of them coming from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). Of the six CONCACAF teams participating in the tournament, Canada is the only team remaining, looking to defy the odds and become the first country from the association to win the Copa América.
For Argentina, dominance has been routine at the Copa América, with the South American country winning the tournament 15 times since its inception in 1916. This number puts them in a tie with Uruguay for the most titles in the tournament’s history and with both teams still active in the tournament we could see a sole record holder. Additionally, on top of being the defending Copa América champions, Argentina are the reigning FIFA World Cup champions, marking the country’s third time winning the trophy. However, in their two previous FIFA World Cup victories, they were unable to win the next Copa América, so the team now has the opportunity to make history by winning just two more games.
To find out more information about the upcoming game, as well as how to buy tickets, visit metlifestadium.com.