1979 Copa América

The 1979 edition of the Copa América soccer tournament was played between July 18 and December 12. This time, the continental champion would not go to the FIFA World Cup. It was not held in a particular country, all matches were played on a home and away basis. Defending champions Peru were given a bye into the semi-finals.

1979 Copa América
Tournament details
DatesJuly 18 – December 12
Teams10 (from 1 confederation)
Final positions
Champions Paraguay (2nd title)
Runners-up Chile
Tournament statistics
Matches played25
Goals scored63 (2.52 per match)
Attendance1,144,000 (45,760 per match)
Top scorer(s) Eugenio Morel
Jorge Peredo
(4 goals each)
Best player(s) Carlos Caszely[1]

Squads
Main article: 1979 Copa América squads

First round

The teams were drawn into three groups, consisting of three teams each. Each team played twice (home and away) against the other teams in their group, with two points for a win, one point for a draw, nil points for a loss. The winner of each group advanced to the semi-finals.

Peru qualified automatically as holders for the semifinal.

Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Chile 4211102+85
 Colombia 421152+35
 Venezuela 4022112−112
Venezuela 0–0 Colombia
Attendance: 18,000
Venezuela 1–1 Chile
Carvajal  70' Peredo  81'
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: César Pagano (Peru)
Colombia 1–0 Chile
Díaz  21'
Attendance: 45,000
Colombia 4–0 Venezuela
Iguarán  17'
Valverde  53'
Chaparro  59'
Morón  86'
Attendance: 30,000
Chile 7–0 Venezuela
Peredo  3', 59'
Véliz  31'
Rivas  38', 54' (pen.)
Soto  80'
Yáñez  84'		 Páez
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Enrique Labó (Peru)
Chile 2–0 Colombia
Caszely  14'
Peredo  58'		 Valverde  54'
Attendance: 85,000
Referee: Wilfredo Cáceres (Paraguay)

Group B
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Brazil 421175+25
 Bolivia 420247−34
 Argentina 411276+13
Bolivia 2–1 Argentina
Reynaldo  29', 66' López  5'
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Octavio Sierra (Colombia)
Bolivia 2–1 Brazil
Aragonés  36' (pen.), 73' Report Roberto Dinamite  30' (pen.)
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Octavio Sánchez (Colombia)
Brazil 2–1 Argentina
Zico  2'
Tita  54'		 Report Coscia  29'
Attendance: 130,000
Referee: Edison Pérez (Peru)
Argentina 3–0 Bolivia
Passarella  1'
Gáspari  15'
Maradona  65'
Attendance: 30,000
Brazil 2–0 Bolivia
Tita  46'
Zico  90'		 Report
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: José Vergara Guerrero (Venezuela)
Argentina 2–2 Brazil
Passarella  38'
Díaz  71'
Gallego  27'		 Report Sócrates  17', 65' (pen.)
Zico  27'
Attendance: 68,000
Referee: Roque Cerullo (Uruguay)

Group C
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Paraguay 422063+36
 Uruguay 41215504
 Ecuador 410347−32
Ecuador 1–2 Paraguay
Torres Garcés  64' (pen.) Report Talavera  22'
Solalinde  77'
Attendance: 45,000
Ecuador 2–1 Uruguay
Tenorio  6'
Alarcón  9'		 Report Victorino  79' (pen.)
Castillo  65'
Attendance: 30,000
Paraguay 2–0 Ecuador
E. Morel  27'
Osorio  48'		 Report
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Abel Gnecco (Argentina)
Uruguay 2–1 Ecuador
Bica  4'
Victorino  57' (pen)
Maneiro  78'		 Report Klinger  77'
Granda  57'
Ron  81'
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Oscar Scolfaro (Brazil)
Paraguay 0–0 Uruguay
Ovelar  35' Report
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Sergio Vásquez (Chile)
Uruguay 2–2 Paraguay
Milar  54' (pen.)
Paz  83'		 Report E. Morel  34', 88'
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Edison Pérez (Peru)

Semifinals
Peru 1–2 Chile
Mosquera  71' Caszely  36', 76'
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Arppi Filho (Brazil)
Chile 0–0 Peru
Figueroa  40' Rojas  33'
Attendance: 75,000
Referee: Cardellino (Uruguay)
Paraguay 2–1 Brazil
E. Morel  16'
Talavera  35'		 Report Palhinha  79'
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Barretto (Uruguay)
Brazil 2–2 Paraguay
Falcão  29'
Sócrates  61' (pen.)		 Report M. Morel  31'
Romero  68'
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Espósito (Argentina)

Finals
Main article: 1979 Copa América Finals

First leg
Paraguay 3–0 Chile
Romero  12', 85'
M. Morel  36'
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Luis Gregorio da Rosa (Uruguay)

Second leg
Chile 1–0 Paraguay
Rivas  10'
Bonvallet  17'
E.Morel  17'
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Barreto (Uruguay)

Play-off
Paraguay 0–0
(a.e.t.) [note 1]		 Chile
Attendance: 32,000
Notes
  1. As both teams finished tied on points, Paraguay won the playoff on aggregate goals (3–1)

Result
 1979 Copa América Champions 

Paraguay
Second title

Goal scorers

With four goals, Jorge Peredo and Eugenio Morel are the top scorer in the tournament. In total, 63 goals were scored by 41 different players, with none of them credited as own goal.

References
  1. "Especial Copa America: Los Mejores Jugadores edición por edición" (in Spanish). Goal.com. 2010-04-15. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
  2. Oliver, Guy (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness publishing. p. 567. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.
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