Lionel Messi was on target for Argentina in the 2-0 win over Canada to guide them into the final of the 2024 Copa America.

The defending champions produced arguably their best performance of the competition with a dominant showing to qualify for a second consecutive final.

Manchester City forward, Julian Alvarez put Argentina in the lead in the 22nd minute with a low key finish following good work from Rodrigo Paul.

The trio of Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo Paul and Lionel Messi combined to devastating effect to rip Canada open at every opportunity but they were unable to add to their lead going into the break.

Six minutes into the second half, Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the competition with a close range finish to make it 2-0 for Argentina.

Canada failed to test Argentina goalkeeper, Emi Martinez until the last minute when Tani Oluwaseyi’s effort was parried away from safety.

Lionel Messi was named the player of the match following another influential performance and he is on course to win a third consecutive trophy for Argentina after the Copa America in 2021, FIFA World Cup in 2022.

He has now become the only player to lead his country to eight major finals in the history of football after guiding them to five Copa America finals, two World Cup finals and Olympic football finals.

The 37-year-old revealed that he is enjoying his “last battles” as he closes in on rounding up an illustrious career.

Messi said, “I’m living it like I lived it in the last Copa America, in the last World Cup….these are the last battles and I’m enjoying them to the maximum.”

He also praised his teammates for the way they have recovered from past disappointments to become successful.

He said, “The truth is that it’s crazy what this group has done, what the Argentina national team has been doing, because after all this it gives value to all (the tournaments) I and the old generation have played in,

“It’s not easy for us to be in a final again, for us to compete again to be champions,”

Lionel Messi and his teammates will take on the winner between Uruguay and Colombia in the final on Sunday.