Lionel Messi of Argentina controls the ball during their Copa America semifinal match against the USA on Tuesday in Houston. Photo: CFP

After 30 matches over the last three weeks, it is Argentina and Chile who will meet in the Copa America Centenario final in New Jersey on Sunday. Will Lionel Messi and this talented generation of Argentine footballers finally get their hands on some silverware at the MetLife Stadium or can Chile triumph over the odds once again?

Recent meetings

The Albiceleste go into the game as slight favorites based on recent meetings. The most recent of course was the opening group game at this tournament. Argentina started this Copa America with an easy victory thanks to goals from Angel di Maria and Ever Banega before a consolation goal from Jose Pedro Fuenzalida. Chile looked poor against the Di Maria-inspired Argentines and their injury-time consolation might have made the scoreline look respectable but it did little to paper over the cracks of Juan Antonio Pizzi's side against a team missing Messi.

These teams also met in March for a World Cup qualifier in Santiago. ­Argentina also won that game 2-1, ­after coming back from an early Felipe Gutierrez header through more Di Maria wizardry and Gabriel Mercado's first goal for his country. Chile were missing midfield powerhouse Arturo Vidal, though.

That game was the first time the teams had met since the final of last summer's Copa America in a match that was notable for Chile's first victory in the tournament after a 99-year wait. The game itself was not for the purists with Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli tweaking his tactics to shackle the threat of Messi. The game remained goalless after 120 minutes, having started brightly before being pockmarked by fouls and cautions. The hosts won the shootout 4-1 with Alexis Sanchez scoring the winning spot kick with a panenka after misses from Gonzalo Higuain and Banega.

The managers

Argentina coach Gerardo Martino has done well after coming in following the disappointment of the World Cup in Brazil. His side were Copa America finalists last year and they have reached another one in style. He also appears to be getting the best out of Messi, which was something he failed to do in his solitary, trophyless season in charge at the Camp Nou.

The former Barcelona manager will be taking on a former Barcelona player in his opposite number. Pizzi only took over the reins of the Chilean national side in January but has guided the team to this Copa America final at his first major tournament. However, the Spaniard has already lost twice to Martino's Argentina and will need to find a way to channel predecessor Sampaoli's Copa-winning side of last summer.

The road to the final

Argentina topped Group D ahead of Chile having won all of their group matches. They followed up their opening-game victory over their fellow finalists with a 5-0 hammering of Panama, which saw Messi return to action as a second-half substitute. The Barcelona man was only on the pitch for 30 minutes but scored a hat trick that was sandwiched between goals from Nicolas Otamendi and Sergio Aguero. The Albiceleste's final group game was against Bolivia, who were dispatched 3-0 thanks to strikes from Ezequiel Lavezzi, Erik Lamela and Victor Cuesta.

The free-scoring Argentines were paired against Venezuela in the quarterfinals and they made short work of them. Two early goals from last season's European Golden Boot runner-up Higuain plus one each from Lamela and Messi put the gloss on a comfortable 4-1 victory and earned a date with the hosts in the semifinal. Argentina were quick out of the blocks again when they met the USA. Messi set up Lavezzi to head them into the lead after just three minutes and they never gave the USA a look in. A free kick from Messi saw him overtake Gabriel Batistuta as his country's record scorer before Higuain added another brace.

Chile were written off after being beaten so handsomely in their first game but they have bounced back - and in some style. A controversial victory over Bolivia got them on the right track. A disputed penalty deep into injury time put away by Vidal, his second goal of the night, ensured a 2-1 victory and three points. Chile's final group game saw them beat Panama 4-2 with the goals being evenly split between Eduardo Vargas and ­Sanchez.
Chile's quarterfinal pitted them against a Mexico side who had topped Group C, knocking out Uruguay in the process. But if El Tri were favorites going into the game, Pizzi's side soon dispelled any discussions about who was the better team. Chile romped to an unexpected 7-0 win - the biggest of the tournament - with a brace from Edson Puch, a four-goal haul for Vargas and a Sanchez goal. They then faced Colombia in the semifinal and two goals in an explosive start were enough to see them through a game that was interrupted because of torrential rains.

Sunday's final

Argentina are out for revenge for last summer and having come so close at the last two major tournaments they won't want to leave the US empty-handed. Messi and his teammates have been the form team at the Copa America Centenario, ­winning every game, and are top ­scorers to boot. They are favorites but the weight of expectation could again prove to be too much.

Having won the Copa America against them last summer Chile know the recipe for beating Argentina: Stop Messi and stop them. If that means kicking him then they have proved their willingness to do that. Having waited so long to win the tournament they won't want to relinquish their grip on it after just a year, even if they don't have homefield advantage this time out. Recent ­meetings might favor Argentina but Chile have come into form at the right time and are second top scorers, just two behind. This match could go either way but with both teams attacking from the outset it should be a thoroughly engrossing final.