SANTIAGO: The wait is finally over for Chile. The title drought continues for Argentina.

Chile won the Copa America for the first time on Saturday when a cheeky penalty from Alexis Sanchez clinched a 4-1 shootout victory over Argentina and glory for the host nation’s golden generation in front of their own fans.

The result extended Argentina’s 22-year title drought, and Lionel Messi will continue to hear criticism for his lacklustre play with the national team when it needs him the most.

The two sides were deadlocked 0-0 after 90 minutes and when another half an hour of extra time failed to produce a goal, the contest was destined to be decided by penalties.

Lionel Messi stepped up to score Argentina’s first spot kick but, as the first three Chileans converted unerringly, Gonzalo Higuain blazed his penalty over the bar before Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo saved Ever Banega’s spot-kick.

That left the stage set for forward Sanchez, who made up for a quiet game by dinking the ball into Sergio Romero’s net to send the 45,000 capacity crowd at Santiago’s Estadio Nacional into raptures.

“Our whole idea was to win something, we knew that this was the moment,” captain Bravo told reporters after he lifted the nation’s first ever trophy in front of President Michelle Bachelet. “This is a privileged generation and now it is time to enjoy it. We are not used to winning anything so this is an exception.”

Argentina captain Messi could only look on distraught as Chile celebrated. The four-time world footballer of the year had repeatedly spoken of his desperation to win a title with Argentina after winning everything at club level with Barcelona.

But the 28-year-old superstar was to suffer more disappointment, only 12 months after enduring another agonising extra-time defeat in last year’s World Cup final against Germany in Brazil.

Chile’s win was their first ever victory over Argentina in the Copa America and secures a spot in the Confederations Cup for the first time.

‘DREAM COME TRUE’

“This is a dream, this team deserved a victory like this,” said midfielder Arturo Vidal, one of the leaders of this golden generation.

“The Chilean people needed this triumph, needed something so beautiful as being crowned America’s champion,” the Juventus midfielder said. “Today it was an incredible step forward for us, this generation deserved it.”

Chile hadn’t made it to a final in 28 years, when they lost to Uruguay in the Copa America in Argentina. They finished runner-up four times, including at home in 1955.

Their best result at a World Cup was a third-place finish at home in 1962, and last year they reached the round of 16, being eliminated by hosts Brazil on penalties.

CHILE players celebrate with the trophy at the end of the final.—AFP

“We talked about it in Brazil that we were going to win the Copa America, “Sanchez said. “This is really a great generation, we deserve this.”

Chile’s Argentina-born coach Jorge Sampaoli said his side had deserved to win.

“We had to play a great game against one of the world’s best teams for the quality of players,” Sampaoli said. “We should have won in 90 minutes, but ended up getting justice.”

Argentina’s disappointment comes less than a year since the 1-0 loss to Germany in the World Cup final.

Argentina lost consecutive Copa America finals to Brazil in 2004 and 2007, and in the 2011 tournament at home, Messi and his team-mates didn’t make it past the quarter-finals.

“We will just keep trying with these same players that today are crying in the locker room,” said Argentina coach Gerardo Martino.

Saturday’s defeat came exactly 22 years after Argentina won their last title at the 1993 Copa America, when Messi was only a kid. Since then, they have failed in seven Copa Americas and six World Cups, with Messi playing in five of those tournaments.

“We just didn’t seem to have that little bit of luck that you sometimes need to have to win in finals,” Javier Mascherano said. “Is it karma? I don’t know.”

MESSI FAILS AGAIN

Messi struggled throughout the match and was never a factor, looking nothing like the star that he usually is with Barca. His failure with Argentina raises again the debate of how best to have him play for his country when he carries all before him with Barca.

It would appear to justify unfavourable comparisons with Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to their second World Cup title in 1986.

ARGENTINA’S Lionel Messi reacts after missing a chance to score during the Copa America final.—AP

For many, his extraordinary achievements at club level with Barca over the past decade have already guaranteed him a place alongside Pele and Diego Maradona in the pantheon of the very greatest players to have graced the sport.

Others insist that his failure to lead his country to international glory puts him just behind Pele and Maradona, who won four World Cups between them.

“A result, or even a loss in a final, will not change what Messi represents to the rest of the world,” said Sampaoli. “If Argentina had been able to take control of the match at some point, Messi was going to make sure that we noticed why he is the best player in the world.”

The final itself was a poor game with neither side able to create many chances.

With Messi uninspired and Sanchez faltering, the teams attempted just 19 shots between them — less than all but one of the Copa America finals contested since 1993.

Higuain came closest to breaking the stalemate for Argentina in the last minute of regulation time but could only put the ball in the side netting.

Sanchez had one great chance to steal the game for Chile in extra time but blazed over with just the goalkeeper to beat.

In the shootout, Matias Fernandez, Vidal and Charles Aranguiz all netted for Chile, while Messi scored Argentina’s lone goal.

Sanchez’s winner was a soft shot into the middle of the net as Argentina goalkeeper Romero dived to his left, igniting a frantic celebration by his team-mates and the fans on the stands.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2015

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