English 
If it’s a good match, we can make a nice profit with Argentina
The odds suggest that Argentina could easily reach the final, but we don’t have that much faith in Messi.
A few weeks ago, Argentina started the Copa America with an easy 2-0 win over Canada, and since then the defending champions have been unbeaten. The two sides now face each other again in the last 4, but we have our doubts that it will be with a changing fortune.
Although Lionel Scaloni’s side were not far from elimination during the quarter-finals, it should be added that Ecuador are currently on a higher level than Canada. The Maple Leafs have still achieved a great feat in their first ever Copa, as while the two “big” teams, USA and Mexico, have already been eliminated in the group stage, Davies’ side will be playing for a medal. The North American team deserve all the respect they can get, and the Argentinians will not be taking this match lightly.
“Physically, we’re up against a very strong team that knows how to trouble their opponents with aggressive football. Jesse Marsch is an excellent coach, he has prepared his team very well and it is no coincidence that they are in the semi-finals. But our goal is of course to reach the final,” said the World Cup-winning coach.
Most of the questions for Scaloni, however, were not about Canada but about Lionel Messi, who played the whole game against Ecuador but was clearly not fully fit with a calf injury. As the coach has revealed, Messi is 99% likely to start, and his striker partner this time will be Lautaro Martínez.
Even though we are talking about the semi-finals of a continental tournament, there will be no burden on the other side, as Canada’s performance this year has been quite brilliant, so even a fourth place would look nice when looking at the overall picture. As Marsch said, he has huge support behind him, but his players are hungry, so Argentina will have their work cut out.
The meeting between the two teams in June produced some excellent football, with 29 shots on goal and an xG of 4.38. We expect to see a brave but tough Canada again this time, which will take on the defending World Cup and Copa champions for a while.
We’re not saying we see a surprise in this encounter, but we do see Albiceleste struggling, and at these odds it would be impossible to pass up a good Argentina win with a goal.
