Sports Desk :
Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in Saturday’s Copa America final to secure the national team’s first title in 28 years.
Argentina’s winning goal at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro came in the 22nd minute after Rodrigo De Paul made a long pass to Angel Di Maria.
The 33-year-old veteran striker counted on some sloppy defending from left-back Renan Lodi to take control and lob it past goalkeeper Ederson.
It was only the third goal Brazil conceded in the tournament.
Brazil piled on the pressure in an exciting second half but even with five strikers on the field, they could not get an equaliser against the Argentinian defence protected by the outstanding Rodrigo De Paul.
Argentina’s win was a particular triumph for Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, who picked up his first ever title in a blue and white shirt after more than 10 years of club and individual honours.
When the match ended, a tearful Messi was thrown into the air by some of his joyous teammates.
Messi finished the tournament’s joint top goalscorer with four goals and was elected joint best player with Neymar. But he was quiet throughout and uncharacteristically missed a golden opportunity to wrap the game up with two minutes remaining.
When the final whistle went, Argentina TV declared “Argentina Champions, Lionel Messi Champion!”
The victory was Argentina’s 15th Copa America triumph and means they draw level with Uruguay as the all-time leading winners.
Their win extended their sequence of undefeated matches to 20 under Lionel Scaloni and handed Brazil their first competitive defeat since they lost to Belgium in the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup.
Agency adds: Lionel Messi’s long wait for a major trophy with Argentina is over after a 1-0 win against Brazil in the Copa America final on Saturday.
The 34-year-old, currently a free agent after his contract at Barcelona expired, fell to the floor at full-time in a sign of huge relief, while his former team-mate Neymar was in tears after he was unable to inspire Brazil to victory after Angel Di Maria’s first-half winner.
It was a huge hurdle crossed for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has been a beaten finalist on four separate occasions with Argentina – three times in the Copa America and once in the World Cup.
The match was decided by a goal midway through the first half from Di Maria, who lobbed Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson following a perfect Rodrigo De Paul pass.
Brazil were poor throughout the contest and struggled to test Emiliano Martinez at the other end. Everton forward Richarlison had Brazil’s best chance when he forced the Aston Villa ‘keeper into a save.
Messi, who was named player of the tournament – a prize he shared with Neymar – after his four goals helped Argentina lift the trophy, should have found the net himself at the Maracana, but with the goal at his mercy he slipped when through one-on-one against Ederson.
It mattered not and, 16 years after making his debut for Argentina, Messi finally got his hands on an international title.
In the process, he silenced critics who had always pointed to his lack of success with his country as a reason why he should not
be considered the best player of all time, despite his brilliance at club level.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Di Maria, who was named man of the match. “Leo [Messi] told me before the game that this was my final because I missed the [Copa America] finals in Chile and the United States [in 2015 and 2016], as well as the World Cup final here in 2014. I’m glad that he was right.”
