After a lot of twists and turns throughout the tournament, and also some shocking results, the time has come for the Copa America final, with Uruguay and Paraguay going head to head for the Championship.
It has come as a surprise to all the football fans around the world that neither Argentina nor Brazil have reached the final this time, despite the fact that both these nations were the finalists of the last two tournaments in 2004 and 2007, where Brazil won on both occasions.
Copa America 2011: Paraguay challenge Uruguay
Uruguay reached the final by defeating Peru 2-0, thanks to a wonderful double-strike by Luis Suarez, who scored his two goals in the second half within a span of five minutes. He is now the joint-top scorer in the tournament alongside Argentina’s Sergio Kun Aguero.
23 year old Suarez, who was signed by Liverpool Football Club in January, had been criticized for not being able to give his best in the tournament so far. But, with this performance, Suarez has shut the mouths of all his critics and now, he is looking forward to play against Paraguay in the final.
Paraguay, though qualified for the final, could not produce a dominant performance like Uruguay. Playing against Venezuela, who had hosted the previous Copa America in 2007, Paraguay could not breach their opponent’s defence line-up due to which the score remained at 0-0 at the end of normal time. Even extra time could not break the deadlock as the teams headed for the penalty shoot-out, which Paraguay managed to win by a margin of 5-3.
Whatever way these two sides have reached the final, they look like deserving candidates to challenge for the trophy. Star players like Chelsea & Real Madrid target Neymar, Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and others have failed to impress, similar to their previous under-par performances at the International level.
Brazil and Argentina have been the dominating sides in the recent editions of the Copa America. But this time around, there is a chance for Uruguay to prove that they are indeed the best football-playing nation in South America. Currently, both Argentina and Uruguay are tied at the top with 14 titles. But, if Uruguay manage to pip their opponents in the final, they will go on to claim the crown for a record 15th time.
Be it Paraguay or Uruguay who comes out as the winner, this final is surely going to entertain every football fan.
Tags: Copa America 2011, Football, Football Fans, La Plata, Paraguay, Uruguay
