Hasta El Gol Siempre

Play the best football of the tournament they may have done, overcoming early defensive worries to win all five matches en route to the final, and scoring sixteen along the way – but not for the first time, Argentina have bottled it against Brazil when it really mattered. It happened in Peru in 2004, when a late Adriano equaliser took the final to a penalty shootout which was won by Brazil. It happened in the Confederations Cup in 2005, when the albiceleste simply caved in in the final. And it happened again on Sunday.

It started dreadfully for Argentina when, with the first proper attack of the match in the fourth minute, Julio Baptista took down a long, lofted ball into the box, cut back and drove a shot into the top corner of Roberto Abbondanzieri’s goal. Brazil, set up to sit back with two out-and-out defensive midfielders, had exactly what they needed.

Thereafter, Argentina had the lion’s share of possession and, in truth, the better chances by far, Juan Román Riquelme hitting the post in the tenth minute after good work on the left allowed Juan Sebastián Verón to head back for him. But when they attacked, they found four or five yellow shirts waiting for them on the edge of the box, when Lionel Messi or Carlos Tevez had the ball fed to them, three or more Brazilians instantly converged, and when Brazil, just for a change, got forward down the right, five minutes before the break, a cross from deep was turned past his own goalkeeper by captain Roberto Ayala.

The second half was a scrappier affair still, Brazil ‘keeper Doni making his third good save of the match, but not before being booked in just the 50th minute for taking too long over a goal kick. As time passed, Argentina threw more and more men forward in search of the goal they needed to get back into it, and the defending champions took full advantage when, in the 70th minute, Vagner Love broke down the left and fed the ball to substitute Daniel Alves, running into the Argentina box in acres of open space, who sidefooted past Abbondanzieri and finally killed the match off as a contest.

The last twenty minutes saw Argentina try and try for a consolation, but Brazil were content to sit back and soak up the pressure. Exactly how pleased their press will be with Dunga, once the celebrations die down, remains to be seen, but Argentina, now 14 years and counting without a trophy, still haven’t got that monkey off their backs.

Goals: Brazil 3 – 0 Argentina

Julio Baptista: Brazil 1 – 0 Argentina (4th min)

Ayala (O.G.): Brazil 2 - 0 Argentina (39th min)

Daniel Alves: Brazil 3 – 0 Argentina (67th min)