Lionel Messi set up nets in the 49th and 88th minutes on Thursday as Argentina began its defense of its Copa America title with a 2-0 victory over Canada.
Messi did what was necessary for goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez.
The Argentines are trying to earn a third major title in a row after the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup.
A few days before his 37th birthday, which he will celebrate on Monday, Messi followed up a return to touch by making a header pass for Alexis MacAllister. He slipped the ball to Alvarez, just before colliding with goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
Alvarez scored an eighth goal in 32 matches with his country.
At the end of the match, his pass from the heart of the field led to Martinez’s 25th international goal.
Messi got his best chance to score in the 65the minute.
Crépeau dived to make a save and on the rebound Messi’s effort was blocked by a Derek Cornelius header.
About a quarter of an hour later, Messi went there with an imprecise lob on a breakaway.
Argentina will face Chile on Tuesday in East Rutherford, before concluding the first round against Peru on June 29, near Miami.
Canada will face the Peruvians on Tuesday, in the suburbs of Kansas City, then the Chileans on June 29, in Orlando.
A total of 14 stadiums are hosting the event in the United States.
It was a very first match for the maple leaf at the Copa America.
Beyond friendly matches, it was also a debut at the helm of Canada for American coach Jesse Marsch, hired on May 13.