Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 to lift Copa America trophy (Source: AP)Copa America Final 2021, Argentina vs Brazil Highlights: Lionel Messi’s Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in Saturday’s Copa America final to secure the national team’s first title in 28 years and the superstar’s first major international trophy.
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. Neymar tried hard with dribbles and passes, but the Selecao barely threatened Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Argentina XI: Damian Martinez, Otamendi, Acuna, Montiel, Romero, De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso, Messi, Di Maria, Lautaro Martinez
Brazil XI: Ederson, Thiago Silva, Danilo, Marquinhos, Renan Lodi, Casemiro, Fred, Everton, Lucas Paqueta, Richarlison, Neymar
It is history for Lionel Messi as he lifts his first senior International trophy. He does it 16 years after making his debut for Argentina. Argentina end a 28-year major title drought as they beat Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final. Argentina have defeated Brazil in the Copa América final for the first time since 1937, equalling Uruguay's record as the most successful nation in the tournament's history in the process (15 titles). And they did it at the Maracanã.
Martinez produces a vital save to ddeny Barbosa. Neymar's cross from the right is ddeflected towards the forward. He takes on a strike on the half-volley with his left foot. It travels towards the target but Martinez pushes it over the bar.
Argentina's Gonzalo Ariel Montiel goes into the book.
Brazil keep the pressure on as he move into the final minutes of the match, win a corner down the right flank. Neymar swings a cross into the box but Thiago Silva sends the header over the bar.
Pezella gets across just in time to ddivert a strike from Barbosa just wide of the target after the forward is set up by Vinicius.
Otamendi wipes out Neymar on a run through the Argentina defence. He tumbles to the deck to send Otamendi into the book.
Marquinhos reacts to the challenge by shoving Otamendid to the deck. He is booked by the referee.
Brazil: Emerson and Gabriel Barbosa come in for Renan Lodi and Lucas Paqueta
Argentina: German Pezzella, Exequiel Paacios and Nicolas Gonzales come in for Cristian Romero, goal-scorer Angel Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez respectively.
Neymar threads the needle and finds Paqueta in the Argentina box. He wraps his left foot around the ball but an under-pressure Neymar sends it wide of the target.
Match gets intense as we move into the final 20 minutes of the final with Argentina having the lead. First, De Paul brings ddown Neymar and goes into the book. Then Brazil's Renan Lodi and Lucas Paqueta gos into the book for challenges.
Messi spurns a good opening in the final third as his strike is blocked. The forward capitalises on a mistake from Marquinhos and races through into the Brazil box along with Di Maria. Messi, however, doesn't pass to his teammate and goes for the shoot himself and sees his effort blocked as he goes down.
Argentina: Nicolas Tagliafico comes in for yellow-carded Givani Lo Celso
Brazil: Vinicius Junior comes in place of Everton
Guidod Rordiguez comes in for Leandro Paredes before Martinez makes a great save and Richarlison is denied again. Neymar plays the forward into right but it is a first poor touch. He hammers an effort towards goal with his second. Martinez holds firm to make the save.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Richarlison fires the ball into the net from close range but the flag goes up for offsidde. Richarlison turns home the rebound after Otamendi blocks the cross. Brazil celebrate before finding out the goal has been disallowed for being offside.
Argentina's Lo Celso gets a warning for bringing down Neymar, who was on the charge after Messi darts into the area and slides it to Di Maria, whose shot is blocked.
We're back underway at the Maracana. Roberto Firmino comes in for Fred, who picked up a yellow right at the start of the match, in Brazil's first change of the final as the second half kickstarts.
Ángel Di María's goal separates the sides at half-time.at the Maracana. Brazil have been quiet towards the end of the first half and will need to find their form to retain their title and deny Argentina their first major final win since 1993.
Everton turns inside from the left flank andd finds half-a-yard for a strike. Howevevr, Argentinian defenders cover well to take the pace off his shot and allow Martinez to make an easy claim.
Leandro Paredes brings down Neymar on the charge and goes into the book. Brazil have a dangerous free-kick 25 yards from goal but Neymar hammers his effort straight into the Argentina wall.
Messi has a run at the Brazil defence and weaves his way past Marquinhos on the edge of the box. He goes for a low strike towards the bottom-left corner that travels just wide of the post.
Argentina move the ball from right to left and dback with precision. Di Maria runs at the Brazil defence as he cuts in from the right flank. He hammers a left-footed strike towards goal but his effort is blocked by Thiago Silva and the rebounds runs away from Martinez before Marquinhos clears.
Angel Di Maria gives Argentina 1-0 lead in the first half of Copa fifnal. Remember he was dropped several times from the team last month. He becomes the first Argentinian to score in Copa America final after César Delgado in 2004. Di Maria latches on to a ball over the top and capitalises on a mistake from Lodi before lobbing Ederson to find the back of the net. Di Maria takes a good first touch before lifting his effort over the Brazililan keeper.
Richarlison nods an offload back to Neymar in th ebox, but the striker sees his effort on the half-volley blocked by Otamendi. Both Messi and Neymar are brought down.
Both sides are putting in heavy challenges in the early stages of the game. Acuna tries to press down the left flank but the fouls DDanilo as he tries to reach an official on the byline.
What a fiery start to the match. Fred catches Montiel with a late challenge and goes into the book.
Here we go! We're under way at the Maracana. The Copa America final showdown between Messi and Neymar, Argentina and Brazil kickstartss.
Lionel Messi will captain Argentina in the Copa America 2021 final. He starts along with Lautaro Martinez in front. Argentina has lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.
Brazil start with Neymar, Sousa Soares, Paqueta, Richarlison, Fred, Casemiro, Renan Lodi, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Danilo and Ederson in between the posts.
In the Copa America final, Argentina will wear the classic blue & white strips. Meanwhile, Brazil will start with their yellow and blue uniform.
? ¡Uniformes confirmados!
Así vestirán ??@Argentina y ??@CBF_Futebol en la gran final de la CONMEBOL #CopaAmérica ?
?Uniformes confirmados!
Assim se vestirão ??@Argentina e ??@CBF_Futebol para a grande final da CONMEBOL #CopaAmérica ? pic.twitter.com/553h72C2xE
— Copa América (@CopaAmerica) July 10, 2021
Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Neymar were picked as the two best players of the Copa America just before they met in the final on Saturday.
It is not possible to choose only one best player because this tournament has two of them CONMEBOL said in a statement.
CONMEBOL's technical study group added that the players had a positive impact on their teams and were the reflection of the South American DNA in every match they played in Copa America. (AP)
Uruguayan referee Esteban Ostojich will take charge of the final game between Argentina and Brazil.
Neymar has been quite impressive for the Brazilian side this time in Copa America 2021. The forward has scored two goals and has three assists under his belt. He has a passing accuracy of 80.18 per cent and a goal conversion rate of 11.76 per cent.
Copa America 2021 has been Lionel Messi's tournament so far. Argentina has hit the net 11 times this time in the tournament, in which 9 of the goals have been scored with Messi's direct involvement. Messi has scored 4 goals and has 5 assists to his name in the tournament.
A "considerable number" of guests specially invited to watch the Copa America final between Brazil and Argentina have been faking false COVID-19 tests to ensure their entry, organisers the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Saturday.
The match between the two arch rivals is due to kick off on Saturday night at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. (Reuters)
After seeing off Peru in the semifinals, Neymar was asked which team he wished to face in the title decider. “I want Argentina,” he said spontaneously. Realising the faux pas, he paused and tried to make amends. “I have friends in the team, like Angel (di Maria) and (Leandro) Parades. In the final, Brazil will win.” He carefully evaded naming his closest Argentine friend, Lionel Messi, for he knew that his answer could easily be misinterpreted.
If this game does go beyond 90 minutes, the Copa America final is the only game of the tournament which opens the possibility of extra-time before penalties.
READ | Copa America final: Neymar vs Argentina, Messi vs Brazil
Brazil hold a 3-1 edge over arch-rivals Argentina in major tournament finals in their 84-year history of matches. All recent matches have been won by Brazil. In terms of South Asian fandom though, it's hard to say who holds an edge over whom.
Brazil vs Argentina Copa America final begins at 5:30 am. Team news to be available around an hour before that.
The dream final! Brazil and Argentina taking on each other in the title clash of a big tournament. Meanwhile, from India and Bangladesh there are reports of police on high alert and buildings being painted in colours belonging halfway across the globe.