Copa america final
Chile have already had much to celebrate
in making their way through to the Copa
America final. Reuters
It’s the final thought most likely
ahead of the competition and the
one most neutrals will have
desired: hosts Chile, seeking a
first ever international title, will
take on the pre-tournament
favorites, Argentina, for the Copa
America trophy in Santiago on
Saturday. And the pressure for
both to deliver the silverware will
be phenomenally intense.
For Chile, it surely represents
their best ever chance to end
their long wait for glory. Not only
are they playing in front of a
passionate home support, but
they have a great generation of
talent at their disposal. Included
among that is a spine of the team
excelling at some of Europe’s
biggest clubs -- Barcelona’s
Claudio Bravo, Juventus’ Arturo
Vidal and Arsenal’s Alexis
Sánchez. But, while that trio has
been influential, Chile’s success,
and in particular its run to the
Copa America final, has been
helped massively by players of
lesser reputations producing their
best in the colors of their country.
Two of those players stepped up
big in the knockout rounds. First,
Mauricio Isla, who has featured
little for Juventus since joining
them in 2012 and spent last
season being relegated from the
Premier League while on loan at
Queens Park Rangers, scored the
only goal in a tense quarterfinal
with Uruguay. And then his
teammate last season, having
been loaned out repeatedly by
Napoli, Eduardo Vargas, rescued a
nervy Chile with two goals in a
2-1 semifinal win over Peru.
It is a team where the collective
and the system is the star.
Ironically, Chile’s high-pressing,
thrilling brand of play, was
installed in them by an
Argentinian, in Marcelo Bielsa,
and is now being continued by
his disciple and compatriot Jorge
Sampaoli
In contrast, the Argentina team is
one bristling with star power,
with the task for coach Gerardo
Martino simply to try and
maximize their influence.
Through much of this Copa
America that ambition has
struggled to come to fruition.
Despite featuring a team
containing Lionel Messi, Sergio
Agüero, Ángel di María and Javier
Pastore, and with Gonzalo
Higuaín, Carlos Tevez and
Éver Banega among those
available from the sidelines,
Argentina scored just four goals
through its first four matches.
Still there was a sense, especially
in a quarterfinal with Colombia
that somehow finished goalless
after 90 minutes despite
Argentina laying siege to the
opposition goal, that the dam was
about to break. Sure enough, it
did so spectacularly in the
semifinals. Messi put on a
playmaking masterclass, assisting
three goals and playing a part in
the other three, Pastore backed up
a fine season at Paris Saint-
Germain while Di Maria put a
wretched first season at
Manchester United behind him
with two goals as Argentina beat
Paraguay 6-1 .
The task now is to repeat that
level and perhaps even improve
upon it when the title is on the
line against Chile. Having lost last
year’s World Cup final to
Germany after extra-time, this
could be the last great chance for
a brilliant generation to finally
deliver some senior silverware
and end Argentina’s own drought,
which, improbably, dates back to
1993.
Since that time, Argentina has
won the Under-20 World Cup an
incredible five times, with the
2005 generation leaving the
greatest mark. Indeed five of
Argentina’s first-choice starting
lineup in this tournament --
Messi, Aguero, Lucas Biglia, Pablo
Zabaleta and Ezequiel Garay --
played in the win over Nigeria in
the final a decade ago.
Messi has been among the
Argentinean contingent stating
that he would give everything to
win this Copa America. But for
Chile, too, the chance to overcome
a history of near-misses,
including four Copa America final
defeats, is at stake. At the Estadio
Nacional on Saturday, something
will have to give.