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Chile defends Copa title, beats Argentina on PKs

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - For the second year in a row, Chile earned the Copa America championship by beating Argentina on penalty kicks, adding to the disappointment of superstar Lionel Messi and his teammates.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - For the second year in a row, Chile earned the Copa America championship by beating Argentina on penalty kicks, adding to the disappointment of superstar Lionel Messi and his teammates.

Francisco Silva's penalty kick clinched the match, giving Chile a 4-2 edge after the teams played to a scoreless tie through regulation and extra time. The game was played before 82,026 at Met Life Stadium, the largest soccer attendance in New Jersey history.

Chile's Alexis Sanchez won the Golden Ball as the tournament's most outstanding player.

Messi missed one of Argentina's penalty kicks, shooting wide.

"We really had high hopes and are leaving empty-handed," said Argentina manager Geraldo Martino. "Argentina should have won in 90 minutes and should have won in extra time and weren't able to win."

Coming up big was Chile keeper Claudio Bravo, who made a diving save to his right on Lucas Biglia's penalty kick right before Silva's game-winner.

"I am very happy," said Chile manager Juan Antonio Pizzi. "It is very difficult to get here and to be able to win titles within a competition amid the best players in the world and best national teams in the world, or at least some of them.

"This group has been pushing the ceiling on its abilities and let's hope we continue helping each other achieve more."

Both teams were more dangerous offensively in extra time. In the 100th minute, Bravo made an outstanding save on a header by Sergio Aguero off a Messi free kick.

The first half was a physical battle between teams that don't particularly like each other.

Argentina earned a man advantage in the 29th minute when Chile midfielder Marco Diaz received his second yellow card and a subsequent red card. Diaz's second yellow was for impeding the progress of Messi. His first yellow came in the 16th minute for taking down Messi.

The man advantage wouldn't last through the half. Argentina's Marcos Rojo was given a red card for a harsh tackle on Chile standout Arturo Vidal.

Argentina opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over Chile, but both teams have changed since.

La Albiceleste earned the win without Messi, who was coming off an injury. Since then, he had been unstoppable, with five goals and four assists, including a goal and two assists in last week's 4-0 win over the United States.

After its loss to Argentina, defending Copa America champion Chile won its next four games, outscoring its opponents, 14-2. That included a 7-0 quarterfinal rout of Mexico and a 2-0 victory over Colombia.

This was expected to be the defining game for Messi. He is a five-time world player of the year and the only thing missing on his resume is a major championship. He has come close.

Argentina lost, 1-0, in extra time to Germany in the 2014 World Cup. Last year, Argentina lost in the final to Chile on penalty kicks.

Think there was a little pressure on Argentina?

Earlier in the week, former Argentina soccer hero Diego Maradona gave a message to the team: "If you don't win, don't come back." And he was serious.

Even with the teams playing 10-on-10 in the second half, the expected wide open play never really materialized.

In the 80th minute, Eduardo Vargas' shot from inside the box on a right angle was saved by diving Argentina keeper Sergio Romero.

In the 85th minute, Messi fed Aguero just inside the box, but he shanked it wide right.

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard