Willard's last goal also completely ended the game.
In the end, the referee blew the whistle to end the game without even finishing the injury time. Argentina beat the host United States 5-0 and advanced to the final.
After the game, media from various countries commented: "Argentina, which has many superstars such as Messi, Di Maria, Aguero, Higuain, Mascherano, Otamendi, etc., is already very strong. With Willard as a free agent, the Pampas Eagles have become invincible. From the group stage to the semi-finals, they did not concede a goal and scored 22 goals in total, which is unprecedented in the world's continental competitions. These are phenomena that have never happened before. If Argentina really wins the championship and keeps a clean sheet in the final, it will create an unprecedented new record in the World Series."
Argentina's unprecedented terrifying offensive and defensive capabilities not only made the finals lose suspense, but even the 2018 World Cup in Russia felt like it was about to lose suspense. If Argentina can maintain this state by then, then Argentina may really win the World Cup and Messi will really become the king.
The next day, in another semi-final, the Chilean team, which had beaten Mexico 7-0 in the quarter-finals, actually won the game and defeated Colombia 2-0 to advance to the final.
Last year's 2015 Copa America was Argentina VS Chile, and this year it's again. Argentina is a world-class giant, and it is natural for it to enter the final or even win the championship.
But the Chilean team has reached the finals for two consecutive years, just like Atletico Madrid has reached the Champions League finals twice in a row, which is impressive.
However, the Chilean team also lost 0-3 to Argentina in last year's Copa America, the previous World Cup preliminaries, and the group stage of this Copa America.
Coupled with Argentina's record of scoring 22 goals in 5 games without conceding a single goal, no one is optimistic about Chile. Everyone feels that Argentina is a sure winner in this final, even if the Chilean team massacred Mexico 7-0 in the quarter-finals. It showed a strong attacking power, and no one believed that the Chilean team could defeat Argentina and win the championship.
The key is that Argentina has the bug of Velarde. Not to mention his offensive assistance to Messi, his defensive contribution alone is like an iron gate, making it difficult for people to take a step beyond the limit.
Everyone is certain that Argentina has already won this centenary America's Cup.
However, the first place was not the finals, but the third-place match, which was the third-place and fourth-place finals competing for third place.
On June 25, in a foul battle with red and yellow cards flying all over the place, the host United States team lost to Colombia 0-1, losing the third and fourth place finals of the Centenary America's Cup held in their home country, and only won the third and third place. Taken by Colombia.
Regardless, Colombia ended its last game at the Copa America Centenario with a victory.
In this match, both sides received a total of 10 yellow cards and 2 red cards. Two people were injured and had to be carried off halfway. It was full of excitement and unexpected.
If the championship is put together like this, it is understandable, but a third or fourth place final is put together like this, it is indeed a bit difficult to understand.
However, judging from the game process, it may be that Colombia, like the Argentinians, has long been dissatisfied with the Yankees. It was the first to attack and committed a flagrant foul, which then triggered the Yankees to retaliate. In addition, the referee was lax in enforcing the law, and finally ended up in a mess. Fighting on the field.
Next, it’s the highlight of this America’s Cup: the final.
At 20:00 on the evening of June 26, local time in the United States, the weather was cloudy, and the Metropolitan Stadium in New York City, which can accommodate more than 80,000 people, was packed.
With the referee's whistle, the 2016 Centenary America's Cup final between Argentina and Chile officially began.
Chile has certainly created a strength gap between itself and Argentina, which has been proven through last year's Copa America finals, World Cup preliminaries, and the group stages of this Copa America. Therefore, although the Chilean team sent out a 433 formation, even three forwards were huddled in the front of the penalty area to assist in defense, let alone the players in the midfield and backfield.
The Chilean team pragmatically chose to shrink and defend, preparing to maintain a draw and play a penalty shootout with Argentina.
Argentina will naturally not be polite. With Villard as the offensive and defensive hub, they are not afraid of the opponent's counterattack and can maximize their offensive output.
Only 4 minutes into the game, Velarde stepped in from the back row, received a cross pass from Messi, and fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty area about 26 meters away from the goal. He hit a shot with great power and speed. Fast long-range world wave.
Unfortunately, he failed to score in the end, but hit the crossbar, which made the crossbar buzz and frightened the Chilean players and fans.
Although Villard's long-range shot missed the frame, no one was too worried. They felt that with the strength of Villard and Argentina, a goal would be a matter of time.
Unexpectedly, Argentina, which had been unstoppable in the previous six games, was unable to score in this game either due to bad luck or due to the Chilean team's desperate defense.
In the 9th minute, Aguero tried to make a pass from the left, but was tripped by Chilean full-back Isla and the pass failed.
The referee punished Isla for a foul and gave Argentina a free kick near the corner kick area, which was equivalent to a corner kick.
Taller players such as Velarde, Higuain, and Otamendi all entered the penalty area to compete for the top.
When Velarde was tightly guarded by the Chilean team's defenders and could hardly move, other teammates got opportunities.
Messi's corner kick flew into the gap at the back point, and Rojo, who was almost unguarded, successfully completed the header.
The result may be that he had a technical error in heading the ball. Although he hit the ball within the goal frame, he did not hit it at a tricky angle. Goalkeeper Bravo directly grabbed the ball and confiscated it.
Argentina missed a chance to score.
A few minutes later, Messi broke through with the ball at the front of the penalty area, causing midfielder Marcelo Dias to get a foul card, and won Argentina a good free kick opportunity in the frontcourt.
Velarde and Messi once again stood behind the penalty spot, causing great tension among the Chilean players and fans.
Velarde was still the first to take the penalty shot. This time, the Chilean team's wall was involuntarily attracted to jump, but Velarde faked a move and ran over the ball.
Messi followed closely with a volley that successfully sailed the ball over the wall and towards the near corner of the goal.
However, in the Argentinian's expectant eyes, the ball that Messi hit within the goal frame did not go in. Instead, goalkeeper Bravo made a flying dive and successfully saved the ball from the bottom line.
Argentina missed another scoring opportunity. The Argentine fans in the stands sighed, but the Chilean fans were not happy either.
Because this feeling of being bombarded by Argentina is so bad. Although they haven't conceded a goal yet, it's only been more than ten minutes since the game started. If this continues, it feels like it's only a matter of time before the Chilean team concedes the goal.
In the 23rd minute, Argentina's frontcourt press took effect. Center back Medel was jointly pressed by Velarde, Messi, Aguero and Higuain. He couldn't even find his teammate who shot the ball, so he could only pass back in a hurry. As a result, the ball was passed back. Frustrated, he couldn't kick the ball to the goalkeeper as expected.
Higuain rushed past him like the wind, grabbed the ball less than 10 meters away from the goal, and volleyed the ball towards the goal.
As a result, in order to avoid the goalkeeper's save, Higuain pursued the angle too much and missed the kick. The ball rolled out of the baseline against the far post.
"Oh, the ball went out of the baseline again."
"Argentina was unlucky and failed to score despite threatening offensive opportunities many times."
"The score between the two sides is still 0-0."
"Although the Chilean team's defense looks dangerous, it has not conceded a goal so far. It must be said that the Chilean team is very lucky."
"I hope Argentina scores the first goal quickly."
"As long as we get the first goal, the game will be much easier to play."
Everyone knows this truth. As long as Argentina scores first, the opponent's contraction can no longer play and they can only attack. Instead, Argentina can use Velarde's speed and Messi's organizational breakthrough ability to defeat the opponent's counterattack. fatal.
But now the score between the two sides is 0-0. The Chilean team is eager to keep this score until the end of overtime, and naturally it will not attack easily.
Argentina can only continue to fight a positional war and attack the enemy.
In the 28th minute, Messi broke through on the right wing and was pulled down by the opponent's defender and got a free kick opportunity.
Messi took the free kick himself, and Velard jumped high in the penalty area, grabbed the first point, and headed towards the goal.
As a result, he was unable to exert his best header ability because he was pulled and pushed by the opponent's defender in the air. This header went over the crossbar and failed to hit the goal frame.
Today's goal seems to be against Argentina. There are many opportunities to score, but they have never been able to score the first goal. It is indeed a bit strange.
Even Velarde, who had scored 10 goals in the previous five games and averaged two goals per game, has stopped playing. I have to lament the Chilean team's invincible luck.
The current situation of bombing indiscriminately but never scoring a goal made the Argentine players a little anxious.
In the 40th minute, Higuain received a pass from Velarde in the middle and broke through the center back Jara with a fried ball, dribbling the ball into the penalty area.
Medel, another central defender who rushed over from the side, made a flying tackle and knocked Higuain into the penalty area with the ball.
The referee Lopez's sharp whistle sounded. Just when the Argentine players and fans were extremely excited and thought it was a penalty kick, Lopez gave Higuain a yellow card and punished Higuain for trying to make a profit by diving.
Messi, Aguero and others all gathered around excitedly, trying to seek justice, but the referee did not hesitate at all and firmly punished Higuain for diving. There was no penalty kick and gave Higuain a penalty. Yellow card.
Velarde didn't go because he saw clearly that Higuain did see Medel's flying shovel, and before Medel could touch him, he jumped up and pretended to be tackled by Medel. Fell in the penalty area.
This is a sign that Higuain is a little anxious and wants to make some meritorious deeds. If it succeeds, Willard won't say anything. But it failed, and he had no shame to go to the referee to complain. As for Messi, Aguero and others, they may not have seen Higuain's dive clearly.
The audience in front of the TV could see it more clearly through the video replay. Although the Argentine fans were a little unhappy, there was nothing they could do about it.
