Messi's Argentina beats Brazil 1-0, wins Copa America title
Rio de Janeiro, Jul 11: Two long droughts ended at the Copa America final: Argentina won its first major title since 1993 after a 1-0 win against Brazil. And Lionel Messi finally lifted his first major trophy for the national team, filling in one of the biggest gaps in his decorated career.
Argentina's winning goal at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday came in the 22nd minute after Rodrigo de Paul made a long pass to ngel di Maria. The 33-year-old veteran striker counted on some sloppy defending from left-back Renan Lodi to take control and lob it past goalkeeper Ederson.
When the match ended, a tearful Mess knelt down and put his hands on his face. Then most of his teammates ran in his direction to celebrate and threw him into the air.
Once criticized by Argentina fans for his quietness, he went to the few hundred guests chanting his name at the Maracana and chanted with them. Messi kissed the trophy before lifting it into the air during the presentations.
The match at the Maracana started with some surprises. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made five changes from the starting lineup that beat Colombia on penalties in the semifinal.
Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Marcos Acu a, Leandro Paredes and Di Mar a took the places of Nahuel Molina, Nicol s Tagliafico, Guido Rodr guez and Nicol s Gonz lez.
Brazil, a team recognized for its steadiness, did not make any changes from the team that advanced to the final.
The teams were cautious early in the match, barely offering chances. When Argentina opened the scoring in a rare Brazil defensive mistake and Di Maria's classy finish, the match became more physical and Argentina successfully stopped the ball from getting to Neymar.
Neymar tried hard with dribbles and passes, but the Selecao barely threatened Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the first half. Argentina sat in the back, hoping for counter-attacks.
Brazil coach Tite tried to change the dynamic of the match by replacing defensive midfielder Fred for Roberto Firmino, and managed to do so for much of the second half. But though the Selecao had more ball posession there were few real opportunities.
Messi's performance in the final was not as impressive as in previous matches of the tournament, during which he scored four goals and had five assists. He had a clear opportunity in the 88th minute, tried to dribble Ederson, but the Brazilian goalkeeper stopped him.
"I can't cry yet," Di Maria said after the match.
"We dreamed of getting this, and we fought. Many people criticized us and asked us not to come back (to the national team)."
The title, however, provides the superstar some relief after all the questions throughout his career on his effectiveness playing for the national team.
The South American trophy is a relief for Argentina, which won its last major title when Messi was only 6 years old. Saturday's victory in Rio gave the team its 15th Copa America title, this time unbeaten, equaling Uruguay's total. Brazil has won the South American title nine times.
Messi, who has several titles with Barcelona, had reached the final of Copa America three times and lost all of them in 2007, 2015 and 2016. Now, he will have good memories at the Maracana, where Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany.
Brazil became last-minute hosts of Copa America two weeks before kick off after original organizers Colombia and Argentina withdrew. Many players protested against the tournament taking place as the COVID-19 pandemic causes thousands of deaths a day in South America, even more so in Brazil where 532,000 have died.
Officials allowed a few thousand fans into the Maracana for the decider, the only match in the tournament to have spectators. There was very little social distancing in celebrations, and some fans removed their masks.
This final, finally, was different. @avicreditor on the end to the wait for Argentina and Lionel Messi and a #CopaAmerica title that means everything for its victor and brightest starhttps://t.co/9TTlexRo7Z pic.twitter.com/uQV2kyrFcf
— Planet Fútbol (@si_soccer) July 11, 2021
#CopaAmérica ?
— Copa América (@CopaAmerica) July 11, 2021
¡A los pies de la copa! Enorme festejo del plantel argentino con su gente ??
?? Argentina ? Brasil ??#VibraElContinente #VibraOContinente pic.twitter.com/Sgr48GOBkR
#CopaAmérica ?@Argentina salió campeón de América y estas fueron las acciones más destacadas de la final ante Brasil
— Copa América (@CopaAmerica) July 11, 2021
?? Argentina ? Brasil ??#VibraElContinente #VibraOContinente pic.twitter.com/uXB9krhnbB
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Dubai: Kannadigas Helpline supports stranded tourists, seeks Rs 2 crore emergency relief from K'taka
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Dubai: The Kannadigas Helpline team organised a virtual meeting to review the current situation in the UAE and gather information about stranded Kannadigas to share with the Karnataka government.
The meeting was led by non-resident businessman and advocate for non-resident Kannadigas (NRKs), Dr. Ronald Colaco. Addressing participants, Dr. Colaco said the UAE remains safe and expressed confidence that normalcy would return soon. He urged Kannadigas to follow guidelines issued by UAE authorities and cooperate with local officials.
Dr. Colaco also announced his readiness to bear the expenses required to maintain an emergency support system for tourists facing distress. He appealed to the Karnataka government to announce an emergency relief grant to assist affected individuals.
Legislative Council member S.L. Bojegowda, who is currently in Dubai, said clarity on the evolving situation is expected shortly. He stated that Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has been requested to sanction an emergency relief fund of Rs 2 crore to support distressed Kannadigas. According to him, the Minister has assured that the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister.
Dr. Aarthi Krishna, Vice President of the Non-Resident Indian Committee and MLC, said she remains in constant contact with Gulf embassies and non-resident Kannadigas in the region. She added that updates are being regularly shared with the Karnataka government and that she is extending full cooperation to the Kannadigas Helpline team.
Karnataka NRI Forum President Praveen Shetty said non-resident Kannadigas in the UAE are safe and that local authorities have implemented necessary safety measures. He urged people not to panic or circulate unverified information on social media.
Hidayat Addur, Coordinator of the Kannadigas Helpline and BCCI UAE President, said the team is working round-the-clock to assist stranded individuals, including facilitating access to medical services when required.
Karnataka Sangha Dubai President Shashidhar Nagarajappa assured that helpline volunteers are available across Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ajman to support Kannadigas in need.
Several community leaders and representatives participated in the meeting, including Daya Kirodian, Chandru Lingadalli, Mallikarjuna Gowda, Imran Khan, Shweta Jadhav, Manohar Hegde, Nagaraja Rao, Samad Birali, Salim Moodubidire, Samshuddin Piligudu, Rock Karnataka Sangh President Ramesh Rangappa and Kannada Pathashale Dubai representative Girish Worate.
