▁their ▁last ▁match ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁phase : ▁An yth ing ▁less ▁than ▁a ▁win ▁against ▁Brazil ▁would ▁mean ▁tournament ▁victory ▁for ▁the ▁oppon ent , ▁while ▁a ▁win ▁would ▁force ▁both ▁teams ▁into ▁a ▁play - off . ▁Both ▁times ▁Par agu ay ▁won ▁ 2 – 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁play - off , ▁Brazil ▁thr ashed ▁Par agu ay ▁ 7 – 0 ▁on ▁home ▁soil , ▁taking ▁reven ge ▁for ▁the ▁group ▁match ▁defeat ▁along ▁with ▁tournament ▁victory . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁however , ▁the ▁Par agu ay an ' s ▁scored ▁two ▁early ▁goals ▁in ▁the ▁play - off , ▁and ▁led ▁ 3 – 0 ▁by ▁half - time , ▁winning ▁the ▁match ▁ 3 – 2 . ▁▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁Copa ▁América ▁▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁edition ▁of ▁a ▁re vised ▁Copa ▁América ▁which ▁was ▁not ▁held ▁as ▁a ▁local ▁tournament , ▁but ▁spread ▁over ▁several ▁months ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁home - and - away - matches . ▁In ▁the ▁group ▁phase , ▁oppon ent ▁Uruguay ▁sli pped ▁up ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁match ▁against ▁E cuador , ▁losing ▁ 1 – 2 , ▁and ▁were ▁held ▁at ▁bay ▁by ▁Par agu ay ▁with ▁two ▁draw s . ▁A ▁closely ▁cont ested ▁semi - final ▁saw ▁Par agu ay ▁win ▁ 4 – 3 ▁on ▁aggregate ▁over ▁Brazil . ▁ ▁The ▁rules ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁against ▁Chile ▁were ▁that ▁a ▁play