1979 Copa América Finals

1979 Copa América Finals

Event	1979 Copa América
Paraguay Chile
As both teams finished tied on points, Paraguay won the playoff on aggregate goals (3–1)
First leg
Paraguay Chile 3 0
Date	28 November 1979
Venue	Defensores del Chaco, Asunción
Referee	Luis Gregorio da Rosa (Uruguay)
Attendance	36,700
Second leg
Chile Paraguay 1 0
Date	5 December 1979
Venue	Estadio Nacional, Santiago
Referee	Barreto (Uruguay)
Attendance	51,200
Play-off
Chile Paraguay 0 0
Date	11 December, 1979
Venue	José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires
Referee	Arnaldo Coelho (Brazil)
Attendance	30,000
← 1975 1983 →

The 1979 Copa América Finals were the final series to determine the champion of the 1979 Copa América, the 31st. edition of this continental competition. The final was played in the two-legged tie system, with the team earning more points being the champion. In case both teams finished tied on points, a play-off match would be played in neutral venue, which finally happened as Paraguay and Chile had won one game each.

The first leg was held on November 28 in Defensores del Chaco of Asunción, where Paraguay beat Chile 3–0. The second leg was held in Estadio Nacional of Santiago on November 5, where Chile won 1–0. As both teams tied 2–2 on points, a play-off match was held on December 11 in Vélez Sarsfield's venue, José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires.^[1] After the play-off match also finished in a tie (0–0 after extra time), Paraguay was crowned champion on aggregate goals (3–1), winning its second Copa América title.^[2]

Paraguay won the competition in the year when also a club team from the country, Olimpia, won its first Copa Libertadores. Some Olimpia players formed the basis of the national team that played the Copa América, with Alicio Solalinde, Hugo Talavera, Roberto Paredes, Evaristo Isasi and Carlos Kiese among them.^[3]

Qualified teams[]

Team	Previous final app.
Paraguay	1922, 1949, 1953
Chile	(None)

Bold indicates winning years

Venues[]

Defensores del Chaco (Asunción), Estadio Nacional (Santiago) and José Amalfitani (Buenos Aires), venues for the finals

Route to the final[]

Paraguay		Round	Chile
Opponent	Result	Group stage	Opponent	Result
Ecuador	2–1	Match 1	Venezuela	1–1
Ecuador	2–0	Match 2	Colombia	0–1
Uruguay	0–0	Match 3	Venezuela	7–0
Uruguay	2–2	Match 4	Colombia	2–0
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Paraguay 4 2 2 0 6 3 +3 6  Uruguay 4 1 2 1 5 5 0 4  Ecuador 4 1 0 3 4 7 −3 2		Final standings	Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Chile 4 2 1 1 10 2 +8 5  Colombia 4 2 1 1 5 2 +3 5  Venezuela 4 0 2 2 1 12 −11 2
Opponent	Result	Knockout stage	Opponent	Result
Brazil	2–1	Semi-finals	Peru	2–1
Brazil	2–2	Semi-finals	Peru	0–0

Notes

• Paraguay won 4–3 on aggregate
• Chile won 2–1 on aggregate

Match details[]

First leg[]

1979 Copa América Finals

November 28, 1979 ^[4]

First leg

Paraguay	3–0	Chile
Romero 12', 85' M. Morel 36'	Report

Defensores del Chaco, Asunción

Attendance: 36,700

Referee: (Uruguay)

Paraguay

Chile

GK 1 Roberto Fernández RB 2 Juan Espínola CB 3 Roberto Paredes  79' CB 4 Flaminio Sosa LB 5 Juan Torales CM 6 Luis Ernesto Torres  62' CM 7 Carlos Kiese CM 8 Julio César Romero RW 9 Evaristo Isasi CF 10 Milcíades Morel LW 11 Eugenio Morel Substitutions: MF Aldo Florentín  62' DF Cristín Cibils  79' Manager:

GK 1 Mario Osbén RB Mario Galindo CB René Valenzuela CB Alberto Quintano LB Enzo Escobar RM Carlos Rivas CM Mario Soto CM Eduardo Bonvallet  46' LM Manuel Rojas CF Carlos Caszely CF Oscar Fabbiani Substitutions: MF Víctor Estay  46' Manager: Luis Santibáñez

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Second leg[]

December 5, 1979 ^[4]

Second leg

Chile	1–0	Paraguay
Rivas 10'	Report

Estadio Nacional, Santiago

Attendance: 51,200

Referee: Ramón Barreto (Uruguay)

Chile

Paraguay

GK 1 Mario Osbén RB 10 Mario Galindo CB 8 René Valenzuela CB 16 Elías Figueroa LB 11 Enzo Escobar RM 17 Carlos Rivas CM 24 Manuel Rojas  85' CM 14 Eduardo Bonvallet  17' LM 22 Oscar Fabbiani  56' CF 21 Carlos Caszely CF 23 Leonardo Véliz Substitutions: FW 19 Víctor Estay  56' MF 20 Miguel Neira  85' Manager: Luis Santibáñez

GK 12 Roberto Fernández RB 4 Alicio Solalinde CB 16 Roberto Paredes CB 21 Flaminio Sosa LB 7 Juan Torales CM 8 Julio César Romero CM 11 Carlos Kiese  46' CM 14 Hugo Talavera  80' RW 19 Evaristo Isasi CF 9 Milcíades Morel LW 17 Eugenio Morel  17' Substitutions: MF 10 Aldo Florentín  46' MF Roberto Cabañas  80' Manager:

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Play-off[]

December 11, 1979 ^[4]

Play-off

Paraguay	0–0 (a.e.t.)	Chile
	Report

José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires

Attendance: 30,000

Referee: Arnaldo Cézar Coelho (Brazil)

Paraguay

Chile

GK 12 Roberto Fernández RB 6 Juan Espínola CB 21 Roberto Paredes CB 4 Flaminio Sosa LB 7 Juan Torales CM 10 Aldo Florentín CM 11 Carlos Kiese CM 8 Julio César Romero RW 22 Amado Pérez  85' CF 14 Milcíades Morel LW 17 Osvaldo Aquino  61' Substitutions: MF Luis Ernesto Torres  61' DF Cristín Cibils  85' Manager:

GK 1 Mario Osbén RB 10 Mario Galindo CB 13 René Valenzuela CB 16 Elías Figueroa LB 11 Enzo Escobar CM 17 Carlos Rivas CM 13 Rodolfo Dubó  90' CM 24 Manuel Rojas RW 23 Leonardo Véliz CF 21 Carlos Caszely LW 22 Oscar Fabbiani  61' Substitutions: FW 15 Patricio Yáñez  61' MF 19 Víctor Estay  90' Manager: Luis Santibáñez

Paraguay won 3–1 on aggregate

References[]

1. ^ Paraguay, campeón de América en 1979 on ABC, 11 Dec 2018
2. ^ Copa América 1975 by Martín Tabeira on the RSSSF
3. ^ Garra y lujo: el camino de Paraguay
4. ^ ^{a b c} Oliver, Guy (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness publishing. p. 567. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.