Roberto Firmino and Gabriel Jesus ensured Brazil's place in the Copa America final with a 2-0 win over Argentina in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.
Jesus scored for Brazil in the 19th minute and Firmino extended their lead with another goal in the second half. Lionel Messi and co. were never on top of their game and missed many opportunities to equalise. Sergio Aguero's header off a Messi fre-kick hit the bar in the first half and bounced in front of the line. Messi then drove into Brazil's defense, but missed the opportunity to equalise when the ball hit the post. Messi is yet to win a major international game with Argentina.
Jesus's goal came off from an assist from Firmino with Alves passing the ball to the striker following a tense run in with three Argentina players. After Argentina gave away their chance to get back in the game, Jesus got away from two defenders, passing the ball to an unmarked Firmino, who scored in the 71st minute.
This was the first time rivals Brazil and Argentina met in a major competition since the 2007 Copa America. Brazil had defeated Argentina 3-0 then.
“We knew that it would be difficult because of the players they have,” Brazil's Casemiro said. “It's about details. We knew it would be scrappy and that there would be wind-ups and time wasting. But we have to congratulate our strikers who did a great job. When they got chances, they scored.”
"We should have been the team going to the final because we deserved it, no doubt about that," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. "But sometimes football is unfair."
Brazil will play the winners of Wednesday's second semifinal between champions Chile and Peru in Sunday's final.
