By Habeeb Akinfegbe
USA saw off Paraguay 1-0 to win Group A and move into the quarter-finals of the Copa America Centenario. The Americans owed their top spot in part to Costa Rica, who made light of their elimination from the competition to register a 3-2 victory over a much-changed Colombia side. Though big names James Rodriguez, Edwin Cardona and Juan Cuadrado all came on for Los Cafeteros after the restart, they were unable to turn the game around.
With Colombia having clinched their last-eight place with a game to spare, it was left to USA, Paraguay and Costa Rica to fight it out for the remaining berth. Sadly for Los Ticos (COSTA RICA), the hosts’ victory in the day’s opening game meant they would be packing their suitcases whatever the result of their meeting with Los Cafeteros (COLOMBIA). Jurgen Klinsmann’s men were made to sweat for their three points at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, however. Though far from the better side, the Americans took a first-half lead thanks to Clint Dempsey,
but were consigned to a long second half when young full-back DeAndre Yedlin picked up two yellow cards in the space of two minutes just after the restart. The hosts’ victory sent Costa Rica out of the competition and left Colombia with the task of picking up just a draw in their meeting with Los Ticos to win the section and potentially avoid Brazil in the last eight. Cafetero coach Jose Pekerman decided to make ten changes, however, with the Central Americans capitalising to turn in their best performance of the competition to date. After troubling the Colombian rearguard with their pace and power and surging into a 3-1 lead, the Costa Ricans grittily defended their advantage, which was reduced to a solitary goal by Marlos Moreno 17 minutes from time. Not even the introduction of their marquee players could prevent the South Americans from sliding to defeat.
Brazil were knocked out of the group phase for the first time since
1987 after going down 1-0 to Peru, who topped Group B. Joining the
Peruvians in the quarter-finals are Ecuador, who thrashed Haiti 4-0 on Sunday’s first game. Ecuador kicked the day off with a big win over Haiti to ease through to the knockout phase. Making a fast start, La Tri took
just 20 minutes to establish the two-goal advantage they needed to
advance in a tournament in which they hope to prove that the second
place they currently occupy in the South American qualifiers for the
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is no fluke. Coached by the
Argentinian Gustavo Quinteros, Ecuador outflanked their opponents time
and again, while also combining cleverly down the centre and displaying
plenty of attitude. Standing out for them were West Ham United front man
Enner Valencia, who scored one goal and set up two, midfielder
Christian Noboa and Swansea City wide man Jefferson Montero.
Ecuador’s 4-0 victory left Brazil and Peru to scrap it out for the one remaining qualification slot at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, where A Seleção needed just a point to advance as group winners and Peru all three. Looking more fluent on the ball and spending most of the opening 45 minutes in the Peruvian half, Dunga’s side seemed to be on course for the result they needed, even if they were unable to convert their domination into goals, which was partly down to the smart keeping of Pedro Gallese. With Peru heading out unless they could conjure up a goal, their Argentinian coach Ricardo Gareca chose to bring on Yoshimar Yotun for the second half, a change that paid dividends as his side wrested control of the midfield and the balance of the game shifted. The goal the Peruvians were looking for eventually came when Andy Polo surged clear down the right and crossed for Raul Ruidiaz to convert, giving Los Incas their first win over Brazil in an official match since the 1975 Copa America. Peru will now face Colombia in the last eight on Friday, while Ecuador will take on hosts USA on Thursday. The faces of the Brazil players and coaching staff could not conceal the shattering disappointment they felt at being knocked out of the first round for the first time in almost three decades. Hampered by the absence of Neymar following Dunga’s decision to hold him back for the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016, and shorn of the services of a handful of other big names through injury, among them Kaka, Brazil impressed only in the 7-1 defeat of Haiti and failed to score against their two CONMEBOL rivals. 19 years since Ecuador last progressed to the quarter-finals of the Copa America. That previous run to the knockout stage came at Bolivia 1997, when La Tri topped a group that also featured Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, before losing to Mexico on penalties in the last eight. The Ecuadorians failed to amass more than three points in each of their subsequent failed group campaigns, a sequence they have finally ended.
In the duel to decide who finished top of Group C of the Copa America Centenario, Mexico secured a hard-earned point against Venezuela to ensure they go through to the last eight as group winners.
Both sides ended on seven points, with El Tri’s superior goal difference giving them first place and a quarter-final tie against the runners-up in Group D, while La Vinotinto will now face the winners of that section. In
the second game of day 11 (Monday) of the competition, Uruguay bade farewell to
the tournament with a comfortable win over Jamaica, who are also on the
way home. Mexico and Venezuela played out a very entertaining game in Houston, with La Vinotinto taking
an early lead courtesy of Jose Velazquez’s acrobatic volley from a
set-piece. Content to then sit on their lead, the Venezuelans sought to
hit on the break with their speedy forwards, who lacked the precision to
extend the lead. Sticking to their gameplan of patiently stringing passes together and pressing all over the pitch, El Tri
finally found a way past Daniel Hernandez in the Venezuela goal thanks
to a superb individual effort from Jesus Corona ten minutes from the
end. The playmaker did justice to the No10 on his back by weaving his
way through the Vinotinto defence and firing home. Later
in the day, Uruguay ended their forgettable campaign on a high note
with a 3-0 defeat of Jamaica in Santa Clara. Nicolas Lodeiro created the
first two goals, setting up Abel Hernandez for the opener, with
Je-Vaughn Watson then turning Lodeiro’s low cross into his own net for
the second. Mathias Corujo scored his first international goal - and the
2500th goal of Copa America history - to complete the scoring late on.
Just as they did in Chile a year ago, the Caribbean side departed the
competition without managing to register a point or a goal.
Next matchday, Tuesday 14 June, actions move to the last group in anticipation of the final set of group matches. Chile-Panama. Argentina-Bolivia.Argentina are already guaranteed a place in the last eight by the virtue of their hundred per cent record but Chile and Panama have all to play for when they meet as both countries occupy joint second place with three points each.
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USA saw off Paraguay 1-0 to win Group A and move into the quarter-finals of the Copa America Centenario. The Americans owed their top spot in part to Costa Rica, who made light of their elimination from the competition to register a 3-2 victory over a much-changed Colombia side. Though big names James Rodriguez, Edwin Cardona and Juan Cuadrado all came on for Los Cafeteros after the restart, they were unable to turn the game around.
With Colombia having clinched their last-eight place with a game to spare, it was left to USA, Paraguay and Costa Rica to fight it out for the remaining berth. Sadly for Los Ticos (COSTA RICA), the hosts’ victory in the day’s opening game meant they would be packing their suitcases whatever the result of their meeting with Los Cafeteros (COLOMBIA). Jurgen Klinsmann’s men were made to sweat for their three points at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, however. Though far from the better side, the Americans took a first-half lead thanks to Clint Dempsey,
but were consigned to a long second half when young full-back DeAndre Yedlin picked up two yellow cards in the space of two minutes just after the restart. The hosts’ victory sent Costa Rica out of the competition and left Colombia with the task of picking up just a draw in their meeting with Los Ticos to win the section and potentially avoid Brazil in the last eight. Cafetero coach Jose Pekerman decided to make ten changes, however, with the Central Americans capitalising to turn in their best performance of the competition to date. After troubling the Colombian rearguard with their pace and power and surging into a 3-1 lead, the Costa Ricans grittily defended their advantage, which was reduced to a solitary goal by Marlos Moreno 17 minutes from time. Not even the introduction of their marquee players could prevent the South Americans from sliding to defeat.
Ecuador’s 4-0 victory left Brazil and Peru to scrap it out for the one remaining qualification slot at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, where A Seleção needed just a point to advance as group winners and Peru all three. Looking more fluent on the ball and spending most of the opening 45 minutes in the Peruvian half, Dunga’s side seemed to be on course for the result they needed, even if they were unable to convert their domination into goals, which was partly down to the smart keeping of Pedro Gallese. With Peru heading out unless they could conjure up a goal, their Argentinian coach Ricardo Gareca chose to bring on Yoshimar Yotun for the second half, a change that paid dividends as his side wrested control of the midfield and the balance of the game shifted. The goal the Peruvians were looking for eventually came when Andy Polo surged clear down the right and crossed for Raul Ruidiaz to convert, giving Los Incas their first win over Brazil in an official match since the 1975 Copa America. Peru will now face Colombia in the last eight on Friday, while Ecuador will take on hosts USA on Thursday. The faces of the Brazil players and coaching staff could not conceal the shattering disappointment they felt at being knocked out of the first round for the first time in almost three decades. Hampered by the absence of Neymar following Dunga’s decision to hold him back for the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016, and shorn of the services of a handful of other big names through injury, among them Kaka, Brazil impressed only in the 7-1 defeat of Haiti and failed to score against their two CONMEBOL rivals. 19 years since Ecuador last progressed to the quarter-finals of the Copa America. That previous run to the knockout stage came at Bolivia 1997, when La Tri topped a group that also featured Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, before losing to Mexico on penalties in the last eight. The Ecuadorians failed to amass more than three points in each of their subsequent failed group campaigns, a sequence they have finally ended.
In the duel to decide who finished top of Group C of the Copa America Centenario, Mexico secured a hard-earned point against Venezuela to ensure they go through to the last eight as group winners.
Both sides ended on seven points, with El Tri’s superior goal difference giving them first place and a quarter-final tie against the runners-up in Group D, while La Vinotinto will now face the winners of that section. In
the second game of day 11 (Monday) of the competition, Uruguay bade farewell to
the tournament with a comfortable win over Jamaica, who are also on the
way home. Mexico and Venezuela played out a very entertaining game in Houston, with La Vinotinto taking
an early lead courtesy of Jose Velazquez’s acrobatic volley from a
set-piece. Content to then sit on their lead, the Venezuelans sought to
hit on the break with their speedy forwards, who lacked the precision to
extend the lead. Sticking to their gameplan of patiently stringing passes together and pressing all over the pitch, El Tri
finally found a way past Daniel Hernandez in the Venezuela goal thanks
to a superb individual effort from Jesus Corona ten minutes from the
end. The playmaker did justice to the No10 on his back by weaving his
way through the Vinotinto defence and firing home. Later
in the day, Uruguay ended their forgettable campaign on a high note
with a 3-0 defeat of Jamaica in Santa Clara. Nicolas Lodeiro created the
first two goals, setting up Abel Hernandez for the opener, with
Je-Vaughn Watson then turning Lodeiro’s low cross into his own net for
the second. Mathias Corujo scored his first international goal - and the
2500th goal of Copa America history - to complete the scoring late on.
Just as they did in Chile a year ago, the Caribbean side departed the
competition without managing to register a point or a goal. Next matchday, Tuesday 14 June, actions move to the last group in anticipation of the final set of group matches. Chile-Panama. Argentina-Bolivia.Argentina are already guaranteed a place in the last eight by the virtue of their hundred per cent record but Chile and Panama have all to play for when they meet as both countries occupy joint second place with three points each.
FOLLOW US
Twitter: @bizarre_comms
Facebook: Bizarre Communications
Email: bizarrecommunications@gmail.com
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