Even the greatness of Lionel Messi and the rest of the world's No. 1-ranked team could not separate Chile from the title of Copa America champions.
Chile outlasted Argentina in the Copa America Centenario final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night to successfully defend their 2015 trophy, edging La Albiceleste 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout after a taut 0-0 deadlock over 120 minutes of play.
Messi was his usual influential self in the run of play, only to stun the millions looking on when he fired his spot kick – Argentina's first – over the crossbar. That set the stage for his FC Barcelona teammate, Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, to play the hero by saving Lucas Biglia's attempt, while Francisco Silva netted the clincher to spark celebrations among La Roja and their fans.
Threats were abundant in a breathless first half, but clear scoring chances rare – until the 21st minute, when a mistake by Chile defender Gary Medel allowed Gonzalo Higuain to scamper into the clear and bear down on Bravo with the ball at his feet.
Higuain cut right and lifted his shot over the diving Bravo, and the entire stadium watched with bated breath as the ball bounced a few inches wide of the left post, which Medel crashed into painfully as he desperately sprinted back hoping to clear the effort off the line.
As the game's tone grew more and more physical, Brazilian referee Heber Lopes was thrust into the spotlight as he gave Chile's Marcelo Diaz a second yellow card for impeding Messi's surging run.
La Albiceleste did not have too long to enjoy the numerical advantage, however. Lopes brandished a straight red to Marcos Rojo for a tackle from behind on Arturo Vidal a few minutes before halftime, leaving both sides with 10 men.
Understandably, neither side could, or would, sustain that breakneck tempo in the second half. But the intensity of the occasion remained riveting as the clash made its way into extra time deadlocked at 0-0.
Both sides went inches away from scoring via headers in the first half of extra time, only to be denied by sterling saves from Sergio Romero and Bravo, but it was the latter who seized the moment in the shootout.
Box Score
