Brazil thrash Argentina to reach Copa America final. – Weekly Citizen

Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino both scored for Brazil as they beat arch-rivals Argentina 2-0 in the Copa America semi-final. Jesus opened the scoring after 19 minutes from a low cross by Firmino.

This was followed by a Firmino goal that secured the win for the Brazilians setting up a final against Peru or Chile.

Argentina Captain Lionel Messi and City’s striker Kun Aguero were not lucky as they both struck the woodwork. Argentina  have not beaten Brazil in a major competitive fixture since 2005.

Brazil’s win came at the same Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte where they were thrashed 7-1 by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals.

However, Argentina captain Lionel Messi felt a number of decisions went against his side as they failed to reach the final for only the second time in the last six Copas.

Messi seems set to continue with the Argentina team after their 2019 Copa America exit

Messi was particularly aggrieved Argentina were not awarded a penalty by referee Roddy Zambrano before Brazil’s second goal.

He felt Brazil were not better than them as they only scored early and they were awarded a penalty not deserved

Messi, who has won 29 trophies with Barcelona, has yet to win a major title with Argentina with his only success being a 2008 Olympics gold medal.

His next chance to change that will be when Argentina co-host the 2020 Copa America, with Colombia.

“Something new is on the horizon,” said the 32-year-old, Messi , who quit international football after his country’s defeat by Chile in the 2016 Copa America before returning for the 2018 World Cup.

On the Brazilian side, Coach Tite, praised Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus after the match.

“Gabriel impresses all the professionals that work with him because he never gives up,” said Tite.

“People tell him ‘you just have to put up with the pain and run,’ and that’s what I asked him to do.

“He has to refine his solutions and he has to evolve because he’s young, but if I ask him to shoot 50 times, he’ll do 51.

“This capacity of persistence and his quest for something is his trademark.”