New Delhi: Brazil stunned bitter rivals and overwhelming favourites Argentina 3-0 to win their eighth Copa America title on Sunday. This is the second successive title for the Brazilians who were without superstars Ronaldinho and Kaka.
It was being billed as the grudge match of the year, and not without reason.
The last time Brazil and Argentina met with a Copa América up for grabs, Brazil had won in incendiary fashion, burning down Argentinean hopes of putting an end to an eleven-year trophy drought.
Striker Julio Baptista scored his third goal in three games at the tournament when he gave Brazil the lead after just four minutes.
Brazil then went 2-0 ahead in the 40th minute when a right-wing cross from substitute Daniel Alves was turned into an own goal by Ayala whose 115th international appearance was slowly turning into a nightmare.
With playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme anonymous, Argentina could not find their previously flowing football and were muscled out by the powerful Brazilians, who committed 37 fouls.
Brazil earned the reward for their superiority with a memorable third goal after 69 minutes as Vagner Love broke down the left and fed Daniel Alves, who scored with a clinical shot into the bottom right-hand corner.
Argentina, chasing a record 15th title, were outplayed in every department as the sparkling form they showed in the run-up to the final seemed to desert them, while for Brazil, it was time to celebrate.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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