BREAKING: Chile win Copa America 2016

BREAKING: Chile win Copa America 2016

- Chile are Copa America 2016 champions after a penalty shoot-out win over Argentina

- La Roja won the title in 2015 defeating Argentina on penalties with Alexis Sanchez the hero

- Argentine have now lost three finals in three years

Chile have won the 2016 Copa America centenario, defending the title they won in Santiago in 2015.

La Roja held Lionel Messi's Argentina to a goalless draw for 120 minutes and after extra-time, penalties decided the game with Lucas Biglia and Lionel Messi missing for Argentina.

Chile saw Diaz sent off midway through the first half while Argentina's Marcos Rojo was sent off in the 4oth minute.

From then on, both teams played with 10 men each, Argentina has chances to win the game and registered 16 shots at goal to Chile's five but profligacy was their undoing.

In the penalty shoot-out, Arturo Vidal missed the first spot-kick and Messi followed suit.

Lucas Biglia missed his side's fourth penalty leaving Francisco Silva to score the winner as Chile celebrated only their second ever senior international title.

Follow the LIVE updates of the 2016 Copa America final between Argentina and Chile below;

Penalties: Francisco Silva scores and Chile are Copa America champions again

Messi is sat down on the subs bench, looking stunned. Argentina’s drought continues - it’s now 23 years without a major trophy.

Penalties: Beausejour scores, Lucas Biglia misses

Penalties: Charles Aranguiz scores, Aguero scores also

Penalties: Castillo scores, Masherano scores

Penalties: Alexis Sanchez misses, Lionel Messi misses also

FT: End of 120 minutes, like it was in 2015, the final of the Copa America will be decided by penalties

Chile won on penalties last year with Alexis Sanchez scoring the winning penalty in Santiago

 

90+29' Chile are playing for penalties now as fatigue sets in at the back. Argentina aren't quite keen on tempting fate just yet, and you can hardly blame them considering how penalties failed them in this match last year - but it's looking like that's what it's going to take now to produce a winner!

90+26' Messi's freekick was deflected off for a corner. The Barcelona striker attempted from his favourite freekick position. Game On!

90+21' Somehow, Lionel Messi just can't find away past these 'mammoth' Chilean defenders.

90+19' Great dash off the area by Romero who clears the danger to keep Argentina in this fixture.

90+16' We are back and are we heading for penalties yet again?

HT: ' Its half time in extra time here, both teams looking gassed but the tempo has not dropped one bit...

Bravo made a world class save to deny Sergio Aguero...like Oliver Kahn once said: "You win titles with world class goalkeepers"

90+13' SUB: Alexis Sanchez off, Silva on

90+10' Bravo, who has been superb tonight, pulls off the save of the tournament stretching to tip an Aguero header over the bar. An exceptional save at a crucial time in the game.

90+7' Oh, Vargas nearly breaks the deadlock. The Chilean’s diving header is plucked out of the air by Romero, who does very well to catch it cleanly rather than parry in at the feet of an opponent.

90+4' Kranevitter pushes Vargas over and is VERY angry when he’s called – correctly – for a foul. He’s booked for that little outburst. Next Isla is left sprawling by Funes Mori after a studs up challenge but the Everton defender escapes any sanction.

90+2' Aranguiz limps off after an - accidental - stomp on his foot

90+1' Chile gets s started for the second half

FT: The final whistle goes and both teams fall to the turf, they must be exhausted after both playing the majority of the game one man down. Extra tie beckons

87' Banega decides to have a shot from long-distance as time ticks down - he may as well, none of his team-mates have trubled Bravo too badly but it’s off target. Messi then has one of those runs - one of darting brilliance - that appears scripted to end in the ball busting the net. But he tries too hard to rip the ball past Bravo and his shot screws wide.

86' THAT WAS THE CHANCE FOR CHILE! Oh my they've come so close to defending their title! They surge forward on the break with Beausejour making an exceptional run on the overlap. He squares for Alexis atop the six-yard box, but Funes Mori makes a crucial intervention to break up the chance

82' WHAT A MISS!! Messi takes on two defenders and passes to Aguero on the right but he Man City man cannot connect well and shoots wide

80' Chile have a shot on target! Vargas scampers free down the right and shoots from an acute angle.

79' SUB: Fuazelida off, Puch on for Chile

77' Sanchez is down after getting a hefty portion of Mercado’s leg to his stomach. The contact looked accidental - even if Mercado’s leg was a little high - and Mercado escapes a booking

74' Aguero is given the ball in all kinds of space after Messi sucks in six defenders like a footballing black hole. Interestingly Aguero’s shot also looks like it’s being sucked in by a black hole - albeit it one around 10 million light years above the goal

71' YELLOW!!! Charles Aranguiz is booked for a foul on Messi

70' SUB: Gonzalo Higuain off, Sergio Aguero on

66' Messi awakes from the nap he’s been having for the last five minutes to skip down the right and win a corner. It’s a good one too, only just missing the head of Funes Mori. Chile counter-attack instantly and they have strength in numbers but the offside flag goes up just as things are about to get interesting.

61' Bravo gets a knock from Funes Mori as he claims a corner but looks OK to continue. A good take under pressure from the keeper there.

60' SUB: Di Maria, who hasn’t appeared fully recovered from injury, is replaced by Kranevitter. Di MAria doesn’t appear to agree with the decision to take him off though and kicks at a water bottle as he runs off.

56' Higuain has had the two best chances of the game so far. This time he has time around 10 yards out and swivels and shoots but it doesn’t trouble the goal, the keeper, the bar or the post.

52' YELLOW CARD!!! Jean Beausejour

51' CLOSE!!! Chile press high up the pitch and win the ball, before sending a cross into the area for Sanchez. The winger knocks it into the centre where Mercado intervenes. The full-back is dispossessed by Vargas, who could well be through on goal, but the referee deems the striker won it illegally and awards Argentina a free-kick!

50' Chile continue their good work from the end of the first half, Vargas almost getting a shot off in the area after some lovely passing from his team-mates.

47' Chile have yet to muster a shot on target

46' Second half kicks off

HT: Argentina 0 - 0 Chile...Diaz sent off for La Roja while Argentina saw Manchester United's Marcos Rojo sent off also

Argentina have been the better side with as many as six chances  had to have won the game...a tough tactical battle however as Chile have had more possession

Lionel Messi, Arturo Vidal and Javier Masherano also shown yellow cards

45' FIVE minutes of added time given

43' RED CARD!!! Argentina's Marcos Rojo sent off, its now 10 vs 10...the referee looks like he has lost the plot

Vidal goes down after a heavy challenge from Rojo, although the Argentinian appears to get the ball. However, he came in from behind and and the ref shows red. Vidal was injured in the tackle which may have influenced the decision.

40' Messi helped Diaz get sent off earlier and there’s some justice as the half winds down. Messi goes down in the area with almost no contact from a Chile defender. The referee is having none of it though and books Messi.

35' Yellow card for Arturo Vidal and Javier Masherano

33' Chile are growing frustrated, but they've done well to absorb any pressure Argentina have tried to muster up to this point. There's been no tactical switch yet as they stay in a 4-2-3, but there will be extra responsibility on the likes of Fuenzalida and Sanchez to track back.

30' RED CARD!!! Messi plays an overhit pass to Di Maria. And that’s about as good as it gets for Chile because seconds later Diaz turns his back on Messi, who collides with him and the Chilean picks up a second booking.

BREAKING: Chile win Copa America 2016
Diaz sent off in the Copa America final

25' Chile are edging possession 52% to 48% but Argentina have had five shots to their opponents’ zero. Make that six shots - Otamendi’s header glances wide from a Messi free-kick.

23' WHAT A MISS! So nearly the moment Argentina have been waiting for! Medel slips at the back and it allows Higuain to pounce on a back-pass and sprint clean through on goal. He tries to chip Bravo and manages to get the ball over the keeper, but can't find the back of the net as it drifts beyond the far post! He looks to the heavens in disbelief!

20' Argentina press again!!! Di Maria gets on the end of a weak clearance as Argentina continue on the ascendancy. He shows excellent close control to dribble his way into the area and past a challenge, but lifts his final strike miles over the bar!

17' Messi tries his luck from 30 yards with a freekick, but Bravo reads it the whole way and makes a rather comfortable save in the end.

16' MESSI! He makes his first contribution of the night, taking a pass from Higuain and spearheading a quick counter, before being hacked to ground by Diaz. The Chile midfielder is shown the first yellow of the match

15' This game could be charitably described as physical so far. Funes Mori takes an almighty swing at some unsuspecting Chile ankles but no action is taken.

12' Vidal attempts an ambitious screwed pass out to the left as Chile surge forwards but it’s too heavy - and it goes out for a throw in. Now Vargas is down injured - not the first injury scare this game, Di Maria and Aranguiz have also looked in trouble tonight.

11' All three injured players are back on the pitch, though Aranguiz doesn't look to be quite at 100 per cent as he's tripped up by Mascherano at the halfway line - winning his side a free-kick - but he stays down for a few second, clearly bothered by something.

9' There's another injury now for Chile as Charles Aranguiz goes down in obvious pain - and the stretcher is coming out for him, though it looks like it's just a precaution.

6' Chile have their first taste of Messi and Isla has to put in a good tackle as the Barcelona star squares it to Di Maria. Before Di Maria is clattered and Argentina have a free-kick almost on the corner flag. Chile clear.

5' A real worry for Chile as Alexis Sanchez goes down after rolling his ankle near the top of the penalty area. The Arsenal forward actually left training with a knock yesterday, and completed practice on his own, so this has to be a concern for La Roja.

3' Chile attack at the other end as Vidal's lovely ball through the Argentina defence cannot be met by any team-mates in the area and Romero dashes out to gather.

2' FLYING START FROM ARGENTINA! They waste no time getting on the front foot, via a route one ball over the top, and Banega unleashes an effort inches wide of the far post from 25 yards!

1' History is with Argentina in this one: they’ve won the title 14 times, one behind Uruguay’s record of 15. Chile, on the other hand, have just one Copa America to their name

1' KICK Off; Argentina get us started

Chile lineup: Bravo; Beausejour, Medel, Jara, Isla; Vidal, Aranguiz, Diaz; Fuenzalida, Sanchez, Vargas.

Argentina lineup: Romero; Rojo, Otamendi, Funes Mori, Mercado; Banega, Mascherano, Biglia; Messi, Higuain, Di Maria.

Below is the preview of the 2016 Copa America final between Argentina and Chile;

Another year, another final for Lionel Messi and Argentina who play Chile ii the final of the 2016 Copa America in what is a repeat of the 2015 final between the two teams.

BREAKING: Chile win Copa America 2016
Lionel Messi and Argentina dominated Tuesday's Copa America semifinal against the USA as they won 4 - 0

Argentina made the final of the 2014 World Cup — and lost 1-0 in extra time to Germany.

They made it to the 2015 Copa America final — and lost on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw against Chile. Two games, and no goals for Messi, or any of his teammates in major finals.

GET for FREE: Get the latest sports news on Naij Sports

The 2016 Copa America final is the third final for the national side in three years and time is running out for Messi to win a first senior title with the national side.

The Barcelona attacker has won the Youth Championship (now FIFA U-20 World Cup) and the Olympics with the national team but never a title for the senior side.

READ ALSO: THREE reasons Messi will beat Cristiano Ronaldo to the 2016 Ballon D’or award

La Albiceleste play Chile on Monday, June 27 (1am, Nigerian time) at MetLife Stadium as they seek their first major title in 23 years when they won the Copa America in 1993.

BREAKING: Chile win Copa America 2016
Two early goals proved enough for a weakened Chile against Colombia to book a return clash against Argentina in the 2016 Copa America final

Argentina beat the USA 4 – 0 to reach the final and many pundits favour Argentina to win this time around. Argentina defeated Chile 2 – 1 in their opening game of the tournament.

Source: Legit.ng

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