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Copa América 2007 - 42th Copa América - Brazil Win Even With The B-Side!

Ozren Podnar reports...

Amazing, isn't it? Even without four of their most renowned players – Kaká, Ronaldinho, Adriano and Ronaldo, Brazil triumphed at the American soccer championship and collected their eighth winners' trophy.

Judging by the play up until the finals and by the players' names, the top spot should have been reserved to Argentina, but los gauchos spoiled it all in a pathetic 90 minutes in the final. Regarding the remaining teams, Mexico and Uruguay had a good tournament, while Ecuador and Colombia turned out to be the worst disappointments.

Mexico, who before 1993 had no right to enter the competition reserved solely for South American teams, asserted themselves as one of the strongest sides in both Americas, while Uruguay keeps on confirming their high soccer status at least at the continental championships. Last time round, three years ago in Perú, they also finished beaten semifinalists.

Hosts Venezuela, a former South American soccer dwarf, did not embarrass themselves, probably justifying the expectations of their eccentric president, Hugo Chávez. Venezuela even scored only their second win in the history of their participation in the Copa América. Fourty years after beating Bolivia they also defeated Peru with goals from Alejandro Cichero and Daniel Arismendi.

Brazil saved their best for the finals

Argentina were by far the best team from the start, specially as Brazil opened with a 0-2 defeat to Mexico. Even though top-scorer Hernán Crespo injured himself while scoring a penalty against Colombia in their second game, the Argentinians kept on firing from all angles and went on to thrash Peru and Mexico in the sudden death stage by a combined 7-0.

Brazil only showed brilliance in their two games against Chile, one in the group stage, he other in the quarterfinals, while in the semis they came on the verge of losing to Uruguay fair and square.

Still, the Uruguayans barely missed the decisive penalty only for Doni to illegally save the last shot of the shootout: the keeper advanced 1.70 m from the line, which the referee should have sanctioned with the repetition of the kick, but sadly the regulations were ignored again (like in Jerzy Dudek's case in the Liverpool-Milan Champions' League finals two years ago).

In the finals itself, Argentina took a while to assimilate Brazil's early lead through Júlio Baptista, but when the equalizer was hanging in the air the experienced Roberto Ayala scored a spectacular own-goal after a right-hand cross to give the yellow shirts an unassailable lead.

The expensive Sevilla's Daniel Alves, who had come on midway through the first half, established the final result which shocked the soccer world.

All scores & results

Group A

26th June
Merida: Peru – Uruguay 3-0 (1-0)
1-0 Villalta (27), 2-0 Marino (70), 3-0 Guerrero (88)
San Cristobal: Venezuela – Bolivia 2-2 (1-1)
1-0 Maldonado (20), 1-1 Moreno (38), 2-1 Paez (55), 2-2 Arce (84)

30th June
San Cristobal: Uruguay – Bolivia 1-0 (0-0)
1-0 Sanchez (58)
San Cristobal: Venezuela – Peru 2-0 (0-0)
1-0 Cichero (48), 2-0 Arismendi (79)

3th July
Merida: Peru – Bolivia 2-2 (1-2)
0-1 Moreno (24), 1-1 Pizarro (34), 1-2 Campos (45), 2-2 Pizarro (85)
Merida: Venezuela – Uruguay 0-0

Group B

27th June
Puerto Ordaz: Chile – Ecuador 3-2 (1-2)
0-1 Valencia (16), 1-1 Suazo (20), 1-2 Benítez (23), 2-2 Suazo (80),
3-2 Villanueva (86)

Puerto Ordaz: Mexico – Brazil 2-0 (2-0)
1-0 Castillo (23), 2-0 Morales (28)

1th July
Maturin: Brazil – Chile 3-0 (1-0)
1-0 Robinho (36, pen), 2-0 Robinho (84), 3-0 Robinho (87)

Maturin: Mexico – Ecuador 2-1 (1-0)
1-0 Castillo (21), 2-0 Bravo (79), 2-1 Méndez (84)

4th July
Puerto la Cruz: Mexico - Chile 0-0
Puerto la Cruz: Brazil – Ecuador 1-0
1-0 Robinho (56, pen)

Group C

28th June
Maracaibo: Paraguay – Colombia 5-0 (1-0)
1-0 Santa Cruz (30), 2-0 Santa Cruz (46), 3-0 Santa Cruz (80),
4-0 Cabanas (84), 5-0 Cabanas (88)

Maracaibo: Argentina – USA 4-1 (1-1)
0-1 Johnson (9, pen), 1-1 Crespo (11), 2-1 Crespo (60),
3-1 Aimar (76), 4-1 Tevez (84)

2th July
Barinas: Paraguay – USA 3-1 (1-1)
1-0 Barreto (29), 1-1 Clark (35), 2-1 Cardozo (56), 3-1 Cabanas (90)

Maracaibo: Argentina – Colombia 4-2 (3-1)
0-1 Perea (10), 1-1 Crespo (20, pen), 2-1 Riquelme (34), 3-1 Riquelme (45)
3-2 Castrillón (76), 4-2 Milito (90)

5th July
Barquisimeto: Colombia – USA 1-0 (1-0)
1-0 Castrillón (15)
Barquismeto: Argentina – Paraguay 1-0 (0-0)
1-0 Mascherano (79)

Best third teams table

1. Chile (B) 3 1 1 1 3-5 4
2. Uruguay (A) 3 1 1 1 1-3 4
3. Colombia (C) 3 1 0 2 3-9 3

Chile &Uruguay qualified for the quarterfinals

Quarterfinals

7th July
San Cristobal: Venezuela – Uruguay 1-4 (1-1)
0-1 Forlan (38), 1-1 Arango, 1-2 Garcia (64), 1-3 Rodriguez (86), 1-4 Forlan (90)

Puerto la Cruz: Chile – Brazil 1-6 (0-3)
0-1 Juan (16), 0.2 Baptista (23), 0-3 Robinho (27), 0-4 Robinho (50), 0-5 Josue (68),
1-5 Suazo (76), 1-6 Vager Love (85)

8th July
Maturin: Mexico – Paraguay 6-0 (3-0)
1-0 Castillo (5, pen), 2-0 Torrado (27), 3-0 Castillo (38), 4-0 Arce (79),
5-0 Blanco (87), 6-0 Bravo (90)

Barquisimeto: Argentina – Peru 4-0 (0-0)
1-0 Riquelme (47), 2-0 Messi (61), 3-0 Mascherano (75), 4-0 Riquelme (85)

Semifinals

Maracaibo, 10th July: Brazil – Uruguay 2-2 (2-1), 5-4 (pen)
1-0 Maicon (13), 1-1 Forlan (44), 2-1 Baptista (45), 2-2 Abreu (69)

Puerto Ordaz, 11th July: Argentina – Mexico 3-0 (1-0)
1-0 Heinze (45), 2-0 Messi (61), 3-0 Riquelme (65, pen)

Third place playoffs

Caracas, 14th July: Mexico – Uruguay 3-1 (1-1)
0-1 Abreu (22), 1-1 Blanco (36, pen), 2-1 Bravo (68), 3-1 Guardado (76)

Finals

Maracaibo, 15th July: Brazil – Argentina 3-0 (1-0)
Panchencho Romero Stadium, 40.000 spectators
Referee: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay)
1-0 Jûlio Baptista (4), 2:0 Roberto Ayala (40-og), 3:0 Dani Alves (69)

Brazil: Doni; Maicon, Alex, Juan, Gilberto; Mineiro, Elano (32. Dani Alves), Josue, Júlio Baptista; Vagner Love (90. Fernando), Robinho (90. Diego)

Argentina: Abbondanzieri; Zanetti, Ayala, G. Milito, Heinze; Mascherano, Verón (22. Lucho González), Cambiasso (58. Aimar), Riquelme; Messi, Tévez

Top scorers

1. Robinho (BRA) – 6
2. Juan Roman Riquelme (ARG) – 5
3. Nery Castillo (MEX) – 4

Ozren Podnar

South American Soccer

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