Match 32 - Argentina 1-0 Colombia
Colombia dominated the opening 45 minutes. Argentina did better in the second half. In the second half of the only match in the competition to use Extra Time Lautaro Martinez smashed the ball into the net to hand Colombia disappointment, and Argentina their second consecutive Copa América and third consecutive major tournament.
Enough of the football. Time to focus on the rest of the action at the final.
First, the match kicked of 80 minutes late due to crowd control issues. In shocking scenes some fans were shown climbing into ducting to enter the stadium, family memebers of players required extra security. People without, or with non-valid, tickets tried to force entry.
Why there was insufficient crowd management personell and infrastructure is a worry and a shocking oversight. As the managing association CONMEBOL needs to take a look at how it assures countries awarded their top competition are able to control crowds acessing, and inside, stadiums.
While it is correct to deplore the actions of the fans, to do so without expecting the controlling authorities to have adequate protocols in place is inviting repeated issues.
Now we come to the other thing which extend the length of the match. Half time entertainment.
Wedging in a musical production a la the Super Bowl was pointless and further extended an already delayed match. Football, soccer, is a more flowing game than Gridiron and the palaver of stages and dancers delaying the play is a pice of nonsense which FIFA should ensure is not allowed to infect the World Cup in 2026.
| Match Number | Teams | 1st Half Score | 2nd Half Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Argentina v Colombia | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Total Matchday Goals | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total Tournament Goals | 30 | 40 | 70 |
text by stuartcturnbull art by CONMEBOL & altered by stuartcturnbull