RIO DE JANEIRO, July 11:  Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni paid tribute to Lionel Messi on Saturday, praising his team captain and revealing he played in the Copa America win over Brazil with an injury.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 10 (Reuters) - Argentina won their first major title in 28 years on Saturday when an Angel Di Maria goal gave them a 1-0 win over Brazil and a record-equalling 15th Copa America.

BRASILIA, Brazil, July 10: Colombia beat Peru 3-2 on Friday in the third-place match at Copa America after striker Luis Díaz scored a pair of goals, one of them assisted by goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.

BRASILIA, Brazil, July 7: It will be Lionel Messi’s Argentina against Neymar’s Brazil in the Copa America final on Saturday.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 4:  Lionel Messi scored his 76th international goal and is now only one shy of Pele for the South American record as Argentina beat Ecuador 3-0 on Saturday to progress to the semifinals of the Copa America.

CUIABA, BRAZIL, June 29: Lionel Messi became Argentina’s most capped international player on Monday, marking the occasion with two goals as he led his national team to a 4-1 win over Bolivia at the Copa America.

SAO PAULO, June 28: Ecuador held a below-strength Brazil to a 1-1 draw on Sunday to secure a spot in the Copa America quarterfinals.

SAO PAULO, June 25: Uruguay and Paraguay secured their spots in the Copa America knockout stage by winning their Group A matches by 2-0 scores on Thursday.

SAO PAULO, June 24: Defending Copa America champions Brazil beat Colombia 2-1 in a tense match on Wednesday that featured three extraordinary goals. Despite the last-minute defeat, the Colombians will also advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 18: With Neymar in fine form and scoring a goal that took him past Ronaldo on the country's all-time goals list, Brazil scored early in the game and then got three more in a commanding second half to defeat Peru 4-0 in their Copa America clash on Thursday.

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 15: Argentina's Lionel Messi scored one of his trademark free kicks in the first half but Eduardo Vargas equalised for Chile in the second to leave honours even at 1-1 in their Copa America opener in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.

BRASILIA, June 14: Brazil opened the 2021 Copa America with a 3-0 win over a depleted Venezuela on Sunday, dominating their inexperienced opponents from start to finish in a one-sided match.

CHILE, June 13: Chile forward Alexis Sanchez will miss the group stage of the Copa America due to a leg injury, the national team said in a statement late on Saturday.

ASUNCION, July 24: Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been banned for one game and fined $1,500 after being sent off against Chile in the Copa America third-place playoff and levelling accusations of “corruption” at South American soccer chiefs.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 8: Brazil’s Gabriel Jesus made one goal, scored another and was sent off in the second half as they beat Peru 3-1 on Sunday to win the Copa America for the ninth time in a pulsating contest at the Maracana stadium.

SAO PAOLO, July 7: Lionel Messi was sent off before halftime and then angrily hit out at “corrupt” tournament organisers after Argentina beat Chile 2-1 to win a bad-tempered third-place playoff at the Copa America on Saturday.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 6: Brazil have lifted the trophy every time they have hosted the Copa America and will look to maintain this perfect record with a first major tournament triumph since 2007 when they take on Peru in Sunday’s final.

PORTO ALEGRE, July 4: Peru advanced to the final of the Copa America and a date with hosts Brazil after beating double defending champions Chile 3-0 on Wednesday.

BELO HORIZONTE, July 3: Lionel Messi finally showed signs of life at the Copa America on Tuesday as Argentina battled Brazil for a place in the final but once again he failed to inspire the side when it mattered most and his long wait for an international trophy goes on.

BELO HORIZONTE, July 3: Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero lashed out at the officiating after their 2-0 Copa America semi-final defeat to Brazil on Tuesday and questioned why video technology was not consulted in two penalty appeals that were waved away.

BELO HORIZONTE, July 3: Brazil advanced to the final of the Copa America with a 2-0 win over old rivals Argentina in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday thanks to a goal in each half from Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino.

BELO HORIZONTE, June 30: Lionel Messi has not been at his best at the Copa America but Brazil defender Thiago Silva says his side will not take their eyes off the Argentina captain for a minute in their semi-final on Tuesday.

SALVADOR, June 30: Luis Suarez broke down in tears after his shootout miss saw Uruguay dumped out of the Copa America by unfancied Peru on Saturday, the 15 times champions losing 5-4 on penalties after having three goals ruled out in a scoreless draw.

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 29: Argentina can look forward to a mouthwatering Copa America semi-final clash with Brazil after delivering a much-improved display to beat Venezuela 2-0 in the quarter-finals in their first game at the Maracana since losing the 2014 World Cup final.

SAO PAULO, June 29: Reigning champions Chile advanced to the semi-finals of the Copa America on Friday after beating Colombia 5-4 in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw at the Corinthians arena.

Your daily dose of missed important news of the day.

PORTO ALEGRE, June 28: Brazil reached the last four of the Copa America on Thursday with a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Paraguay after their compelling quarter-final in Porto Alegre ended scoreless.

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 25: A late header from Edinson Cavani gave Uruguay a 1-0 win over Copa America holders Chile on Monday which saw them snatch top spot in Group C at their opponents’ expense and set up a quarter-final meeting with Peru.

PORTO ALEGRE, June 24: An early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late second from Sergio Aguero gave Argentina a 2-0 win over Qatar on Sunday, a deserved victory that takes them into the Copa America quarter-finals to face Venezuela.

SAO PAULO, June 23: Brazil overwhelmed Peru with three goals in a superb first half to set up a crushing 5-0 victory on Saturday and cruise into the Copa America quarter-finals.

PORTO ALEGRE, June 21: Uruguay twice came from behind to draw 2-2 against a young Japan side in the Copa America with the help of two questionable refereeing decisions and will have to wait until their final group game to book their place in the quarter-finals.

BELO HORIZONTE, June 20: Lionel Messi scored from the penalty spot to salvage a 1-1 draw for Argentina against Paraguay in the Copa America on Wednesday as his side rode their luck to cling on to hope of reaching the quarter-finals.

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 19: Bolivia scored their first goal in five games but it was not enough to give them their first Copa America point as Peru came from behind to win 3-1 in their Group A game in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

SAO PAULO, June 18: The organisers of the Copa America expressed concerns over poor attendance at initial games on Monday and said they must correct errors in the ticketing process to ensure more fans have access to matches in this month’s tournament in Brazil.

SAO PAULO, June 18: Chile began their Copa America defence in emphatic fashion with a thumping 4-0 win over tournament guests Japan on Monday with Manchester United misfit Alexis Sanchez scoring for the first time in five months.

BELO HORIZONTE, June 17: Uruguay crushed Ecuador 4-0 in their Copa America opener on Sunday with help from an early sending off that deflated their opponents and assured the 15-times champions the simplest of starts to their campaign.

SALVADOR, Brazil, June 16: Roger Martinez scored an outstanding goal as Colombia beat Argentina 2-0 in an exciting finale to a Copa America Group B opener on Saturday that burst into life after a sluggish start.

SAO PAULO, June 11: This month’s Copa America will be the third in four years but for those suffering from an overdose of South American soccer there is an end in sight. Only not just yet.

June 11: Lionel Messi has long craved a suitable strike partner so that he can win a major trophy with Argentina and the return of his friend Sergio Aguero has given the nation renewed hope of winning the Copa America.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan 25: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he has a “good feeling” about Lionel Messi’s possible return to international soccer and will talk to the Barcelona forward about a possible return from his self-imposed exile.

Hosts Brazil were handed a favorable group at the 2019 Copa America draw in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday but arch-rivals Argentina landed a tough appointment with Colombia.