Brazil stuns Argentina in final

Even without some top stars, Brazil still won its second straight Copa America title.

Julio Baptista scored in the fourth minute, an own goal doubled the lead in the 40th and Daniel Alves got the final goal in the 69th as the Brazilians stunned favored Argentina, 3-0, Sunday to win South America’s championship for the eighth time.

“Lots of people criticized our team, but we’re the champions,” said Brazil forward Robinho, the tournament’s top scorer, with six goals.

While Argentina brought its top players and appeared unstoppable throughout most of the tournament, Brazil was missing stars such as Ronaldinho and Kaka, who decided to skip the tournament after the long European club season.

“My players demonstrated they’re capable of great things,” Brazil Coach Dunga said. “Argentina was the press’ and everyone’s favorite, but the game is decided on the field over 90 minutes.”

The Brazilians have won four of the last five Copa titles -- the exception was when Colombia won at home in 2001.

“We came to rescue the self-esteem of the Brazilian worker, who wakes up in the morning and returns home late at night, whose only satisfaction in life is seeing Brazil win a football match,” Dunga said.

Argentina shares the record of 14 Copa titles with Uruguay but has none since 1993.

“Losing like this makes you angry, but there’s nothing more we can do but wait for another final,” Argentina star forward Lionel Messi said.

Baptista put Brazil ahead on its first foray forward, picking up a bouncing ball just inside the penalty area and spinning it into the far side of the goal past surprised goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri, who had no chance to stop it.

Argentina defender Roberto Ayala put Brazil ahead, 2-0, when he slid in an attempt to clear a cross into the six-yard box from Alves, who had replaced injured Elano in the 33rd minute.

The cross was headed toward Abbondanzieri but Ayala poked the ball into his own goal.

Alves’ second-half goal came on an angled shot from about 15 yards off a pass from Vagner Love, who led a counter.

“We’re totally ruined,” Argentina midfielder Esteban Cambiasso said. “Losing like this hurts your soul.”

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Argentina defeated Mexico, 1-0, in Ottawa, and Chile beat Nigeria, 4-0, in Toronto in the Under-20 World Cup on Sunday.

Argentina will face Chile in a semifinal match Thursday, and Wednesday’s semifinal features Austria against the Czech Republic.

The final will be played Sunday in Toronto.