Brazil without Neymar has proved to be better than Argentina with Lionel Messi. Click below to watch and download full match or extended highlights of that titanic clash.
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In a performance that ended with “ole” chants from the crowd, Brazil
beat Argentina 2-0 on Tuesday and will play Sunday’s Copa America final
at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro seeking its 10th South
American title.
Superstar Messi, meanwhile, remains without trophies for his national
team despite showing his best performance in the tournament at the
Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte.
Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring at 19 minutes after a samba-style
play from right-back Dani Alves. It was the striker’s first goal in the
tournament.
Roberto Firmino added the second at 71 minutes assisted by Jesus in
front of 56,000 fans that sang chants on Messi’s lack of trophies with
Argentina and Diego Maradona’s drug problems to celebrate.
Brazil’s opponent will be determined on Wednesday when defending
champions Chile take on underdogs Peru at the Arena do Gremio in Porto
Alegre.
Wearing a flamboyant golden jacket, striker Neymar, who left the
squad shortly before Copa America because of a right ankle injury,
celebrated Brazil’s victory with friends and with far-right President
Jair Bolsonaro in the stadium’s corporate boxes.
For the first time since Copa America began, Argentina repeated its
starting lineup of the previous 2-0 win over Venezuela, keeping its
up-front trio with Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Lautaro Martinez. But
the approach against Brazil was clearly different, with the team
sitting back and preparing for counters.
Brazil had two changes to face its archrivals, with midfielder
Casemiro returning from suspension in Allan’s place and Alex Sandro
substituting injured Filipe Luis in the left-back.
Still, Argentina still was first to get an opportunity to open the
scoring. At 12 minutes, Leandro Paredes fired from long distance and the
ball flew close to Alisson’s bar.
That did not intimidate Brazil. On the first goal, Alves flicked the
ball over Marcos Acuna, left Paredes behind and passed to Firmino on the
right flank. With a low cross, he allowed Jesus to score only meters
away from goalkeeper Franco Armani.
The visitors nearly leveled at 30 minutes, when Messi took a free
kick and Aguero headed the ball onto the bar. Brazil’s defense cleared
and avoided conceding its first goal in five Copa America matches.
After the break Brazil took extra precautions by substituting winger
Everton for midfielder Willian. But that did not stop Messi and
Argentina.
At 57 minutes, Messi hit Alisson’s right post from close range. He
also got the rebound, crossed the ball into the penalty box, but no
Argentinian was near enough to push it to the net.
To keep the pressure on the Brazilians, coach Lionel Scaloni
substituted midfielder Acuna for winger Angel di Maria. But a counter at
71 minutes punished his audacity.
Jesus stole the ball in his half of the field and bulldozed through
Argentina’s left flank. Facing Armani, he gently assisted Firmino to
score the final goal.
“They were more efficient, we had our chances and could not score,”
said Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico. “We played well for some
time, badly for some time.”
His coach disagrees: “By merit, the team that should have advanced to the final was Argentina,” Scaloni said.
The coach also complained about the refereeing in Firmino’s goal,
insisting his team had heard a whistle in the beginning of Jesus’ move.
At the end of the match, Argentina’s Paredes wept sitting on the pitch as Messi once again looked distraught.
The Brazilians celebrated with moderation after a match that could
have a different ending if Argentina had found the net instead of the
posts on two occasions.
The match at the Mineirao was once again marked by homophobic chants of the Brazilian fans when Armani took his goal kicks.
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