The 1987 Copa América final was the final match to decide the champion of the 1987 Copa América, the 33rd. edition of this continental competition. It was held on July 12, 1987, in Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Uruguay beat Chile 1–0,Copa América 1983 on the RSSSF achieving their 13th Copa América title.Aniversario de la Copa América 1987 on AUF, 12 Jul 2018
Qualified teams Team Previous final app. 1919, 1983 1979
Route to the final
UruguayRound ChileOpponentResult Group stageOpponentResult (No match played) Match 1 3–1 (No match played) Match 2 4–0 As current champions, Uruguay started to compete directly in semifinalsFinal standingsTeam 220071+64 210154+12 200218−70OpponentResult OpponentResult 1–0 Semi-finals 2–1 (a.e.t.)
Background Uruguay had eliminated Argentina (reigning World Champion by then) based in their good defense and tactical order. As former defender and Olympic champion José Nasazzi stated, "We make the first 10 fouls of the match and then we win playing fair", that phrase synthesized the Uruguayan rough style of play to prevail psychologically over the rival since the first minute of the match.
Under that premise, defensive players Obdulio Trasante and José Perdomo applied that rough tactics during the first minutes, carrying the Argentine side to that style of play, confusing their rival. Once the first objective was fulfilled, Uruguay started to play fair, keeping the possession of the ball until the match ended.
The match
In the decisive match played at Estadio Monumental of Buenos Aires, Chile played dirty, committing a great amount of fouls, with Enzo Francescoli as one of their main victims. Because of that rough style of playing, defender Eduardo Gómez was sent off by Brazilian referee Romualdo Arpi Filho with before the 15 minutes of the match.Uruguay campeón de América by José Manuel Martín on Memorias del Fútbol, 14 Feb 2019
Nevertheless, Francascoli would be also sent off after fouling rival Fernando Astengo. Uruguay won the final through the highlighted performances of Alfonso Domínguez (who controlled the movements of Ivo Basay, Chile's most notable forward), and central midfielder José Perdomo, who played both, defensive and offensive positions.El glorioso y querido fútbol uruguayo, El Gráfico, 14 Jun 2019
Match details
GK 12 Eduardo Pereira RB 14Alfonso DomínguezCB 3 Nelson GutiérrezCB 4 Obdulio TrasanteLB 5José Pintos Saldanha RM 8Gustavo Matosas CM 15 José Perdomo (c) CM 16Pablo BengoecheaLM 10 Enzo Francescoli CF 7Antonio Alzamendi CF 11 Rubén Sosa Substitutions:DF 6 José Enrique Peña Manager: Roberto Fleitas
GK 1 Roberto Rojas (c)RB 2 Óscar ReyesCB 8 Eduardo Gómez CB 11 Fernando Astengo LB 4 Luis HormazábalRM 18 Patricio Mardones CM 10 Jorge ContrerasCM 20Héctor Puebla LM 6Jaime Pizarro CF 9 Juan Carlos LetelierCF 7 Ivo BasaySubstitutions:DF 3 Ricardo Toro MF 21 Hugo Rubio Manager: Orlando Aravena
References