The 3-week South American football showpiece reaches its climax at the Estadio Nacional with Argentina aiming to win their first title since 1993, 12 months after defeat in 2014 World Cup final in Brazil
The final takes place at 5:00 pm (2000 GMT) and will be the only match of the tournament to feature 30 minutes of extra time if the scores are tied after 90 minutes.
Argentina's Lionel Messi and Chile's Alexis Sanchez: Set for Battle
Lionel Messi and Argentina will be chasing a first major title in 22 years Saturday when they face hosts Chile in a dream Copa America final in Santiago
Since a 6-1 defeat to Argentina in the inaugural South American Championship in 1916, Chile have endured years of frustration.While Argentina will join Uruguay as the most successful side in the tournament's history if they win their 15th title on Saturday, Chile are still waiting for their first crown after finishing runners-up four times.
Chile have also never beaten Argentina at the Copa America in 24 attempts.
Argentina's Standing at the Group Stage - Group B
Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argentina | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7 |
Paraguay | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 5 |
Uruguay | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
Jamaica | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 0 |
Chile's Standing at the Group Stage - Group A
Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chile | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 7 |
Bolivia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 4 |
Ecuador | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 3 |
Mexico | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 2 |
Argentina's Road to Final
- drew with Paraguay 2-2 in the Group Stage
- beats Uruguay 1-0 in the Group Stage
- beats Jamaica 1-0 in the Group Stage
- beats Colombia 5-4 on penalties after draawing 0-0 in the QF's
- beats Paraguay 6-1 in the SF's
Chile's Road to Final
- beats Ecuador 2-0 in the Group Stage
- drew with Mexico 3-3 in the Group Stage
- beats Bolivia 5-0 in the Group Stage
- beats Uruguay 1-0 in the QF's
- beats Peru 2-1 in the SF's
Chile fans pose for the camera ahead of the Copa America final
Chile defeated Argentina on penalties to end their 99-year wait for a Copa America crown
Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez struck the winning spot-kick for Chile, as the hosts clinched a 4-1 shoot-out victory when the game ended goalless after extra time
The game went to penalties after a hard-fought 120 minutes ended in stalemate, with neither side managing to unlock their opposite defence
Chile started at a ferocious pace before Argentina gradually managed to gain a foothold in the game
Penalties
After a goalless 120 minutes in Santiago, it was Alexis Sanchez's audacious chip from 12 yards that proved to be the winner after Matias Fernandez, Arturo Vidal and Charles Aranguiz had all found the target with powerful efforts.
Lionel Messi scored the first penalty for Argentina but Gonzalo Higuain blazed over the bar and Ever Banega's weak spot-kick was saved to leave Argentina without a Copa America title since 1993.
The first two penalties by Chilean
substitute Matias Fernandez and Argentina's Lionel Messi were both scored
with good strikes to level the score 1-1.
Arturo Vidal then stepped up for Chile to deliver the goods. Romero
got a touch to his shot but it managed to squeeze through from under the
Argentine keeper.It was then Higuain's turn to put Argentina level but the pressure was too much for him as he shot too high and Argentina's finals hoodoo threatened to strike again.
Aranguiz then drilled his shot low into the corner to make it 3-1 in the favour of Chile with Argentina's Ever Banega stepping up with a chance to make it 3-2 but his poorly taken penalty was saved by Bravo keeping the score 3-1 and putting Chile on the brink of glory.
Who else but Alexis Sanchez stepped up to take the spot-kick. he had been magnificent all game and had the opportunity to write Chile's name in history books and he did not disappoint, scoring a panenka to seal the title for the Chileans.
As Sanchez wheeled away peeling off his jersey and twirling it at his side in celebration of Chile's first ever major title victory in front of the throngs of home supporters in the stadium, Argentina were left to ponder their disastrous recent history in tournament finals.
No comments:
Post a Comment