while Euro 2016 traditionally appeared to be the primary symbol of world’s most prestigious football event with its most fascinating headlines, competitiveness and famously for its highest demand of global media coverage along with glorious history of football revolution this tournament has identified and established during the summer calendar year, it can be easily the pick of fans when it comes around. but the summer madness of this beautiful game in full picture of entertainment and inspiration must be fairly dedicated to Copa America Centenario, a life time major tournament took place in United Stated in the early June and really captured new line of passion and joy ultimately. Chile was triumphed as the winner after beating Argentina, their south Americana’s most intense and import rival of late era, in a game that simply was the rematch of their last year Copa America final, the traditional Copa America cup as it belongs to South American nations-in which Chilian as the host nation cruised past Argentina and Lionel Messi in breath-taking penalty kick to win their first major continental glory-they exactly redefined their championship celebration by beating Argentines in penalty shoot out, this time with even more fierce tactical incision and dramatic individual storyline to ultimately inspire a major accomplishment of national pedigree and pride on one side, while intensifying an undeniable heart-breaking picture for long memories.
Chile’s winning story in fact underlined many heated up arguments of the football modern era in a highly symbolic circumstances with emergence of deep remarks to lead the future perhaps as it looks to embrace a continuously series of football reality show. Chileans definitely shaped and established their long-lasting desire of becoming the a major power on both continental and global level by the evidence of repeating their triumph against Argentina in the second consecutive major tournament, one year after being crowned Copa America at home. they ultimately achieved an incredible dynasty to be classified as one of the most purest storyline to embrace the history of this beautiful game, at the same time carrying new share of glorious passion and reputation to enjoy in a unique way among best nations for a very long time. on the opposite side, the result has inevitably fueled one of the most mysterious narrative of sport’s symbolic conversations dedicated and invented to challenge one of the deepest arguments ever existed about sport athlete and their legendary role; the argument of recognizing Messi as the best player ever in the history, and it perhaps took another complicated pattern to be remain doubtful and highly interesting to follow up for the entire world. the Argentine’s magician was denied a joy of glory for the third consecutive occasion in his career, the faded dream started when losing 2014 fifa world cup final, before witnessing their vanished continental hope in heart-breaking penalty lose to Chile in the final of last year Copa America, and while this tournament tipped as his ironically penultimate pathway to confirm his legacy as best ever player to lift a trophy in a major life event, he and his side came short to hit the top gear in the exactly same scenario as he left the pitch with tear waving his face.
when two sides met in Santa Clara on sunday night, they have been relinquished a phrase of “dramatic classic rivalry” so far as two superior teams not only in South America edition, but also in this intercontinental championship as it was expected with their superb and dominant performance on their way to stand on the verge of glory. the interesting evidence of this gradual classic rivalry influenced specifically from their meeting in the group stage opener, which Argentina’s mere revenge motivation from their Copa 2015 disappointment in fact inspired to excel their marvelous rank of gifted squad possessed an incredible quality that confirmed a serious and exciting title aspiration at their disposal. to support that fact they cruised past Chileans 2-1 and eventually won their group stage en rout of demolishing Venezuela and the host nation USA in play-off and semi-final. but this game had a different environment and Chile as well appeared to show an entirely different team character and more adapted to deliver their highest level in contrast to their shaky opening defeat.
Messi engineered attacking movements in his apparently enjoyable central lying playmaker posing, leading the way for front trio as Erik Lamela made a partnership with Higuain’s and having Angel Di Maria deploying into attacking play-maker position to create fluid movements mostly behind the two strikers with more freedom to switch centrally in reliance of two comfortable deeper passers in Banega and Augusto Fernandez in firmly balanced and versatile shape of two deep holding midfielders to press energetically and rapidly turning into diamond shape of three passing coordinators at time of attack to gain possession and high tempo in transitions, the tactic witnessed a consistent path to control the spaces against Chile’s technically gifted attackers like Alexis Sanches and Mattias Fernandez, whom tend to maintain possession with their slick touches and constant change of pace ability in tied spaces when Chilians incredible short range of accurate and neat passing rotation that often denies opponents a chance to gain enough possession and mostly pushing them back into defensive half, the key to their successful and effective style. Sanchez soon sparked his fearsome dazzling runs high up the flanks to spark pace in the midfield and providing open spaces to combine with Fernandez as two auxiliary central attacking providers and rapidly becoming a wingers across Eduardo Vargas to combine, rhythmically allowing deeper midfielders Vidal and Jean Beausejour to join further advance to link up quick break-through balls to penetrate most likely, Mauricio Isla dual task of winning balls as holding role at the time of Chile pressing with three vertical men and distribute link up balls to wide men in central positions ultimately kept Chile side with more possession throughout the game, relatively their dynamic and flair almost nearly exposed Argentinian defense in few occasions, but their needed execution play seemed to lack edge, mostly for their opponent’s wonderful reflections and their organized and combative pressing order initiated from controlling deep spaces when Chile transitioning in the midfield and once Sanchez and Fernandez switching to slick build-up in advance positions the central holding partnership of Mascherano and Fernandez accordingly imposing high mobility to track both Chilean’s creative play-makers and forcing them to going more wide with a crucial time provided for either Banega to drift inside of pressing line to offer the break-away passing option off the press or having Marcos Rojo and Sergio timely sprinting high over the flanks to become wingbacks for fine link up and igniting pace in transition with Angel Di Maria integrating into free playmaker to ignite delightful interchanging play with his skills and runs behind Higuain, the attempt was imposed first to maintain their effective pressing while eventually dedicated to adapt a crucial balance in attack collectively and timely passing coordination to limit Isla, Vidal and Aranguiz to apply their dual task of shielding back line with winning tackles and incisive possession build-up, at least their usual rhythm appeared a fraction short of ideal performance, which has indicated to one of the most vibrant tactical efficiency for a team with intense defensive effort and dynamic possession-minded attack. Argentina initiated to create dangerous movements in attack to squeeze their opponent little over the deep zone and their first chance came through. as the result of high pressure Ever Banega picked up the ball and driving forward before sending his fine long range right footed shot which went wide of the post. later Messi bent his slow free kick into path of Bravo and Barcelona forward was in the heart of next attack when his dazzling run was combined with Lamela before his wide pass directed into path of Di Mari as he skillfully paused and turned to smack his shot over the bar. Chile rediscovered their form finally to push their midfield that was squeezed too deep by Argentina in the early spell into decent free space high up the pitch when Vidal neat interchange with Sanchez and Aranguaiz allowed him to provide fine footwork to unsettle Argentina’s pressing line to split a through ball to Sanchez high run but his attempted shot was timely blocked by Mascherano and Biglia inside the box and wasted. Al Bicileste soon restored their ambitious attacking play and their pressure almost nearly caused Chile’s defense to concede the opener. Gary Medel failed to keep a short back pass deep into defensive line was robbed by Higuain to run freely behind him and while Napol’s striker neat cheap that didn’t seem going inside the net, but Medel desperate tackle to clear the ball ended up with his upper tight badly colliding to the post and he was wrapped in a full pain and returned to the game later. Copa Champions mainly struggle to redefine their usual attacking play as Argentina eager pressure in some occasions seemed to caught Chilean’s concentration entirely, yet it didn’t exactly happened. Messi sent another free kick from left which had Otamendi to flick a header but to the outside of the post. once Messi stormed the pitch with his usual mesmerizing beautiful run there was a little evidence to spot him and his next firework has cost Marcelo Diaz to be sent off for a red card. He raided with full pace and skill into their defense and when Diaz apparently blocked him, referee has shown second yellow card and then red car to left Chileans with sight of fear midway though the first half. in the most heated up seconds of Argentina’s dominance another red card left both teams to play with ten men when Marcos Rojo’s reckless challenge on Vidal earned him a red card and with plenty of intensified tackles and fearful signs both teams picked up the second half in relatively same fashion. Chile slowly regained their composure to control key spaces into the midfield for Vidal and Sanchez orchestrating more purposeful and neat passing play, while Argentina aimed constantly to spark a fearsome break-away and fluid transition in reliance of Messi, Di Maria and Higuain to kill the game, frustratingly it lived up to slim extent of breath-taking element to hit a pure execution, instead the duel virtually was replaced with more intriguing tactical complexity relied on intensively reactive style with both team hugely emphasized their play on cautious pressing-counter-attack strategy to find their destiny instead of producing an entertaining and spontaneous flair, a dynamic feature demanded to inspire such final match with two most creative and gifted sides, but the willingness to manage an extremely logistic pressure of reliable concentration and winning desire was preferred to higher risk of playing a fully open and desirable attacking style and it seemed convincing to expect extra time and eventually penalty shoot out. Chileans nearly managed to supervise their high tempo rhythm in midfield and came with a chance in the 57 minutes. Mauricio Isla sliced a fine through pass to Sanchez on the right and Arsenal striker streamed forward before switching a wide pass centrally as both Eduardo Vargas and Fernandez looked to misfire the ball but Vargas hooked to his feet and sent his shot over the bar. they pushed high and this time Boujoumour bursting on the left to send a cross which Argentina’s defense clear it and Isla hit the rebound from outside of the box that went wide. it was Argentina’s turn in attack, Gabriel Macchado stormed through defense centrally before picking Aguirro to his wide at left and the striker poorly sent his shot far over the bar without using options to fine a better link up play. once again Chile hit the top gear, Sanchez slick play waved off challenges in the midfield as he turned and released a fine deep pass for Vargas who raced against Mascherano before sending his low range shot that saved by Sergio Romero. Messi sparked the next chance when his dazzling run beaten three defenders in central position and perfectly linking with Ageuro’s run to his right, City striker turned inside his marker but once again wasted his shot as it went over the bar. Messi became the sole inspiration of their dynamic attacking play when the extreme wave of Chilean players appeared to completely denying him space to create, but he’s sheer genius skills and instinct could be enough to whip out all of those pressures. inside the 75th minutes he burst forward with blistering pace and close control going through defenders but his left footed shot went wide off the top post. in extra time a long ball deep from Chile’s defense provided a good transition for Isla to run into open space on the left and cross it for Vargas, whose’s header was saved by Romero, then Messi curled a perfect free kick which Bravo hardly reflected to his left and save it at the far post and it went to penalty shoot out. Vidal’s shot was saved by Romero but when Messi fired his powerful attempt over the bar, brought in a sudden imagination of possibly unforgettable tragedy, vanishing a remaining shadow of his dream forever. Castilo converted the second one for Chile and followed by Mascherano leveling the terms before Aranguiz accurate kick put Chilean’s ahead, but Aguerro perfect kick despite Bravo right move again kept everything tied and after a series of “hit and miss” killing shots in the longest penalty streak scenario in the modern history of the game, finally it came to decisive moment. Bravo perfectly dived to his left to save Carlos Biglia shot and it all left for Francisco Silva to smash the winner for the Chile and gifted them an incredible record of double continental championship in a very exciting and fascinating football match.
Messi emphasized an exemplified mind and heart to produce long series of sensational individual shows and admirable sheer enthusiasm in the most glittering stage of his career to deliver a major trophy in the most prestigious and fierce chapter of international championship with his nation, but yet he dramatically failed to lift a glory. instead he slightly was thrown on the edge of painful shadow with remaining doubts and criticisms hanging heavily on his shoulders, mainly suggesting an appealing factor, not the one confirms his place as the best of all time, but the problematic conversation about the challenge of his recognition as the legend of all time, the idea the fact that he might will never be able to win any cup in the future. Chile on the other side produced a fully reliable and emphatic football both on collective and individual terms consistently; impressively the squad adapted to sustain their best attacking potential and desirable form of team spirit, which composed of an eagerly entertaining style and enthusiastic characteristics to communicate on and off the pitch in reliance of outstanding coaching instructions and precious maturity of a cohesive unit. since the group stage opening defeat, they regained their confidence and strength back by beating Bolivia and Panama before storming the quarterfinal round by producing one of the most astonishing masterpiece in the history of Copa America in destroying Mexico 7-0 to set a new record of winning with the highest margin against their classic Concacaf rival, inflicting a miserable humiliation in the chapter of Mexico’s international experience. Alexi won tournament best player gold ball award in courtesy of his masterful individual skills, vision and understanding along with his enthusiastic leadership and intelligent role in the heart of Chile’s attacking play, equally Arturo Vidal, Isla and Medel performed brilliantly in key midfield and defensive positions to maintain a clinical and concentrated strategy all the way through. Claudio Brava awarded Golden Gloves as the best goalkeeper deservedly, he truly appeared the real inspiration against Messi and ultimately proved Chile’s hero in the penalty shoot out win and through the entire campaign. Chileans perhaps has injected a new identity to continent’s dimension of superiority and fair share of inspirational pedigree as of now, disappearing the traditional picture of older powers like Brazil and Uruguay and instead establishing a fantastic Dynasty for generations to come.
