Against Lionel Messi, U.S. will be tested by the best
HOUSTON — American players maintained over and over that playing Argentina and Lionel Messi in a Copa America semifinal Tuesday night was a big deal, yet not mind-boggling.
Top-ranked Argentina is a two-time World Cup champion and Messi is the only five-time FIFA Player of the Year.
Though no longer a soccer neophyte, the United States knows it remains a distance from the top tier.
[...] ultimately when that whistle blows, it’s still 90 minutes of competition.
After winning its group, the U.S. beat Ecuador 2-1 to reach a semifinal outside its region for the first time since 2009, when it upset Spain 2-0 in the Confederations Cup semis before wasting a two-goal lead in the final and losing to Brazil 3-2.
The U.S., which has qualified for seven straight World Cups but is 12-43-15 in games against former Cup champions, might get one of those lessons from Messi.
“La Pulga” has four Champions League and eight La Liga titles with Barcelona but has not won any championships with Argentina’s senior team, which is seeking its first major trophy since 1993.
How do you do that? U.S. defender Matt Besler said.
Even when guys step up to him and are right on him, he finds a way to wiggle out of something, and then he’s able to get his head up and play in some of those balls that he’s played in this tournament.