Chile clinch Copa America title

Ends 99 years wait for title   

Estadio Nacional, Santiago 

Chile have won their first ever Copa America title after beating Argentina 4-1 in a thrilling penalty shootout in Santiago tonight.

Having finished 0-0 in regulation and then extra time, both sides were forced to determine a winner in an evenly-fought contest from the spot.

Gonzalo Higuain and Ever Banega were the villains for Gerardo Martino's side by missing, as Alexis Sanchezkept his cool to roll home the penalty that ends La Roja's 99-year wait for this triumph.

Eduardo Vargas had the first opening of the game when he was afforded space and time to line up a strike outside the box and he drilled his effort inches past the post.

Chile maintained the pressure and Alexis Sanchez raided down the right flank and whipped a low cross into the box which was poorly cleared away by Martin Demichelis. Arturo Vidal picked up the loose ball and fired a volley towards the bottom corner, but Sergio Romero got down well to make the stop.

Argentina had their first opening at goal from a free kick from the right as Lionel Messi whipped in a cross to findSergio Aguero at the near post, but the striker's effort was comfortably saved by Claudio Bravo.

La Roja had an excellent chance to take the lead when Vargas broke away up the middle of the pitch and coasted past the last defender, only to lose his composure at the vital moment by firing his shot over the bar.

Argentina could have opened the scoring just before the break when Javier Pastore found space down the right and picked out substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi in the middle, but he could only fire his strike straight at Bravo.

In the second half, Sanchez robbed Otamendi of possession on the edge of the box, but was forced wide by the defender. The Arsenal man lifted a cross to the back post for Vidal, although he could only direct his header straight at Romero.

The 27-year-old probed again for La Roja as he tried to weave his way past Otamendi, and he managed to guide the ball to Vidal on the edge of the box, but his effort was well blocked by Pablo Zabaleta.

Alexis Sanchez almost unlocked the Argentina defence when he latched on to a cross into the box and fired a volley towards the bottom corner, but his strike went agonisingly wide of the post.

La Albiceleste had a great opportunity to win the game in the dying seconds of normal time as Messi released the run of Lavezzi down the flank, but the winger opted to fire the ball across the face of goal rather than shoot. As a result, Gonzalo Higuain could not turned the ball home at the back post as he fired his strike into the sidenetting.

Jorge Sampaoli's men had the one and only clear chance in the entirety of extra time as a rare error from Javier Mascherano saw Sanchez race through on goal, but the Arsenal man failed to keep his effort below the bar.