Chile today won the Copa America by outshooting Argentina on penalties in a tough, intense game with little football, almost exactly the same situation as in last year's final in which both teams saw expulsions in the first half.
Francisco Silva scored the decisive goal in the penalty shootout and handed Chile the second consecutive Copa America.
With the victory today, Chile rounded off a great tournament which began with a loss to Argentina and culminated in the form of sweet revenge.
For Argentina, the defeat is a new setback, a new cruel fate, the third knockout in the final game in three years, after the World Cup in Brazil and the Copa America in Chile last year, times when the glory was outrun in an agonizing extra time and penalties.
Argentina played better in the first half in which there were two controversial expulsions, one for each team, but Chile took control in the second half. However, both teams missed the few opportunities they had.
Broadly speaking, the final followed the script of the one in Santiago last year, a match of strong teams playing in the center of the field.
Half an hour after the whistle was blown; the match was halted when Marcelo Diaz, who until that moment was a defensive mainstay for Chile, was red-carded. He committed two fouls against Messi, the first clear but the second much debated.
Argentina, however, failed to take advantage of having one man more for fifteen minutes and then both teams were balanced with a rigorous red card for Marcos Rojo.
Following the expulsion, Mascherano pulled back to strengthen defense and Argentina lost control of midfield against a Chile side that played with more intelligence in the second half.
But the control did not develop into chances against Argentina which managed to hold off his rival, although the team was pinned in their own area at times.
In extra time, with a more open start, Vargas and Aguero fired two great shots, although both efforts were blocked by goalkeepers. However, in the final stretch, Chile withdrew, took the game to penalties in which luck returned to smile at Chile.
Following the match, Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentinian national team after losing another final, this time against Chile in the penalty shoot-out during the Copa America Centenario final.
"Thinking about it a lot in the dressing room, I believe that the national team is done for me. It is over. I fought for it a lot. I tried. There were four finals and I couldn't win them. I did everything possible. I'm hurt more than anyone but it is clear that it is not for me. I wanted a title with the national team more than anyone and unfortunately it didn't happen," the Argentina captain said.
Source: EFE
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