Alexis Mac Allister's blushes spared after Liverpool star wastes Lionel Messi's genius

Liverpool's Euros stars took the spotlight yesterday evening, but a little later, it was time for the Copa America to take center stage. Alexis Mac Allister will not be meeting Arne Slot any time soon, having booked his place in the next round, but fans did notice him failing to make the most of a piece of Lionel Messi brilliance.

Argentina eventually sneaked past Chile with an 88th-minute winner from Lautaro Martinez. That was enough to see Messi's side ease through to the quarter-final stage.

And Mac Allister did not have a bad outing overall — ESPN gave him a 7/10, with only Messi awarded a better mark. Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez was criticized more harshly for his profligacy.

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Nevertheless, there's no denying that the Liverpool midfielder had a big chance to break the deadlock far earlier. A little over 10 minutes into the second half, Argentina was awarded a free-kick.

Naturally, Messi took on the responsibility. Once again reminding the world that he is the greatest playmaker of all time as well as the greatest forward, the genius floated in a delightful delivery, begging to be put away by one of the Argentina players waiting in the box.

It was Mac Allister who was closest to it. But with the ball just tantalizingly ahead of him, his outstretched leg could only make the tamest of contacts, floating the ball into the goalkeeper's gloves.

Despite being from such close range, about six yards out, it was not the easiest of chances, given that the Liverpool man was on the stretch. Even so, it didn't look great, and it may well have haunted Mac Allister if Martinez had not spared his blushes with the late winner.

Messi fans certainly think so. "This has to go in the back of the net!!!," wrote Lionel Messi Fan Club on X, posting a clip of the chance.

But in fairness, it was a game of fine margins all round, with Messi himself striking the post, and coming close on two further occasions. Ultimately, Argentina got there in the end, and the world champions remain among the favorites to win the Copa America.

Liverpool.com says: No doubt Mac Allister's miss would have come under greater scrutiny if Argentina had not found a way to win. But while it was undoubtedly another moment of genius from Messi with the delivery, it still wasn't a simple finish.

For the most part, getting on the end of chances is not what Mac Allister is in there to do. And he was once again an assured presence in midfield as Argentina enjoyed 62 per cent of possession.