The drought ends: Chile defeats Argentina on penalties, captures 1st-ever Copa America title

This was a script that not even Pablo Neruda could have written.

Off the pitch, Chile is dealing with a wide probe into illicit electoral campaign financing, while teachers are on strike to protest education reform, and students are on the streets expressing their anger at how promised university reform is falling short of their demands.

On the pitch, however, Chile injected euphoria into the population on Saturday, defeating eternal rival Argentina on penalty kicks to capture its first-ever Copa America title.

The match was played at a furious tempo, featured two resilient backlines, and involved a handful of players battling through obvious pain. But despite the quality of football and the entertainment, neither side could produce a goal over the course of 120 minutes, resulting in a penalty shootout to determine which national team's title drought would be ended.

One by one, the chosen few stepped up, looking to write their names into history.

After Matias Fernandez and Arturo Vidal converted their penalties, Gonzalo Higuain - who had missed a tight-angled shot in the 92nd minute that was arguably Argentina's best chance of the game - embraced the role of scapegoat once again and rocketed his shot into the sky.

Then, Ever Banega hammered another nail into Argentina's coffin, seeing his penalty saved by a diving Claudio Bravo.

With the chance to secure Chile's first-ever Copa America crown, Alexis Sanchez, Chile's fourth shooter, showed off his huevos and cleverly deployed a Panenka-esque penalty past Sergio Romero to end the competition in cocky fashion and set the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos ablaze.

Berserk supporters invaded the pitch, some of whom attempted to snap a selfie with Sanchez. Not a thought was given to Vidal's charge of driving under the influence or the unscheduled colonoscopy that Gonzalo Jara gave Edinson Cavani. Those lapses of judgment were forgiven.

All that mattered was that Chile had won the Copa America. Nothing else.

Related: PHOTOS - Jubilant Chilean players, fans celebrate 1st-ever Copa America victory

Argentina, meanwhile, was forced to watch the celebrations while attempting to come to terms with yet another catastrophic loss in a final. Lionel Messi, who - simply put - was flawless throughout the entire competition, looked stunned, seemingly unable to comprehend how he had once again missed out on an international title.

Here's what you need to know from the final of the Copa America:

The Goals

In the absence of any goals, here's the penalty that Alexis Sanchez will surely regard as the highlight of his acclaimed football career:

Man of the Match - Charles Aranguiz

One can only wonder as to why Charles Aranguiz isn't playing for a top club in Europe.

In a match where both backlines were almost impenetrable, the 26-year-old midfielder continued his phenomenal form at the Copa America and exposed Argentina's defenders on more than one occasion, finishing with three key passes, an astounding passing accuracy of 90 percent, and 89 touches.

Oh, and let's not forget that Aranguiz showed remarkable composure while taking Chile's third penalty in the shootout, blasting his shot past Sergio Romero like it was nothing.

The 1,000 Words

"Hasta la proxima ..."

Stray Thoughts

• Chile is a deserved champion. While supporters may not have enjoyed reading about Arturo Vidal's charge of driving under the influence or seeing Gonzalo Jara poke Edinson Cavani's behind, La Roja were undeniably the most consistent national team at the Copa America and merit nothing less than a first-ever Copa America title.
• Haters will be quick to argue that Chile only advanced to the final because Cavani was sent off in its quarterfinal versus Uruguay and Carlos Zambrano received a straight red card in the early moments of its semifinal versus Peru. Such suggestions are laughable.
• Alexis Sanchez was far from his best throughout the majority of the Copa America, but there was something appropriate about watching him convert the penalty that secured glory for Chile.
• The result marks two losses in two finals in less than a year for Argentina.

• One can only wonder what was going through Lionel Messi's head when Sanchez converted his penalty. The planet's greatest player is now 28 years old, and the sad reality is that time is ticking for him to guide Argentina to an international title.

• Spare a thought or two for Gonzalo Higuain, who somehow missed a tight-angled shot in second-half stoppage time and then went on to miss Argentina's second penalty. His sequence of disastrous events was foreshadowed back in May, when he missed a penalty for S.S.C. Napoli that would have put the club on the brink of Champions League qualification.
• It should come as no surprise that wild scenes engulfed Santiago after the final whistle.

• Keep in mind that next year's Copa America Centenario, which will mark 100 years since the inaugural edition of the competition took place, will take place in the United States of America and feature 10 teams from CONMEBOL and six teams from CONCACAF.