Copa America 2015

[SAMCRO]

Chi-chi-chi...le-le-le. Vidal with a PK to put the hosts up 1-0 over Ecuador in the 68th minute. Games on beIN Sports right now.

 

[SAMCRO]

Sanchez with a nice assist to Vargas who finishes nicely putting Chile up 2-0. In 84th minute.

 

[Jaker]

Between the Copa and the Euro qualifiers, there has been some great mens soccer this week. Watched the Armenia/Portugal game this morning, Armenia actually had Portugal on theirs heels for good stretches of the game.

 

[SAMCRO]

Down goes Brazil, losing 1-0 to Colombia. This got ugly in the final 10 minutes and after the final whistle w/ a lot of pushing, shoving, and jabbering. Referee gave red cards after the game ended to Neymar and Bacca from Colombia. Neymar had a right to be pissed as he got foot stomped during a stoppage in the final minutes. Looks like he head butted someone after the whistle.

 

[SAMCRO]

Neymar banned for4 matches, so the rest of Copa America...if Brazil advances that far, due to the head but and red card at end of Colombia game.

Mexico loses 2-1 to Ecuador to finish 4th in their group behind Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Their Copa America is over (in fairness, a few of their top players did not play in this tournament).

 

[meyers7]

Neymar banned for4 matches, so the rest of Copa America...if Brazil advances that far, due to the head but and red card at end of Colombia game.

Mexico loses 2-1 to Ecuador to finish 4th in their group behind Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Their Copa America is over (in fairness, a few of their top players did not play in this tournament).

Yea, I think they were saving them for the Gold Cup. We did the same thing last time we went down for the Copa America, sent a B team. (B-, maybe a C team??)

 

[SAMCRO]

The Quarterfinals are set...
Wed. Chile v. Uruguay
Thur. Bolivia v. Peru
Fri. Argentina v. Colombia
Sat. Brazil v. Paraguay

 

[SAMCRO]

Yea, I think they were saving them for the Gold Cup. We did the same thing last time we went down for the Copa America, sent a B team. (B-, maybe a C team??)

I cannot wait for the Gold Cup. The US is coming in on a hot streak, CR is ranked #14 in the world, and played both Spain and Colombia pretty competitiviely in recent matches, and Mexico's B/C teams pulled 2 draws v. South American sides while sitting their stars to come in as fresh as possible.

 

[UCFBfan]

Why do the North American sides send B squads? It seems, from just glancing at some of the squads, that the South American teams play their A teams. Wouldn't it be a great way to continue building the North American squads confidence and gain some needed respect by holding their own against these teams? I get the reason why they need two North American teams because of the numbers but why bother if they aren't even going to bother showing up? I guess none of the South American teams want the competition from non-South American teams?

 

[SAMCRO]

In Mexico's case, I'm guessing they're prioritizing the Gold Cup over Copa America, since winning that would put them in a playoff w/ the U.S. to qualify for 2017 Confedration Cup (a pre World Cup tournament). So they're giving their European based players a little more time off, while giving their domestic players some quality time against very good competition to help their development. Not sure if that is the rationale, but it is a bigger "payoff" for them to win Gold Cup.

 

[meyers7]

In Mexico's case, I'm guessing they're prioritizing the Gold Cup over Copa America, since winning that would put them in a playoff w/ the U.S. to qualify for 2017 Confedration Cup (a pre World Cup tournament). So they're giving their European based players a little more time off, while giving their domestic players some quality time against very good competition to help their development. Not sure if that is the rationale, but it is a bigger "payoff" for them to win Gold Cup.

Exactly. The same thing happened with us a few years ago. Can't take the players from their clubs (or their off-time) for two separate tourneys. They have to prioritize one. For CONCACAF it's usually the Gold Cup.

If the Copa America comes off next year (100 year anniversary), there won't be any other competitions then and everybody should have their A Team. And it'll be here on American soil.

 

[ZooCougar]

Why do the North American sides send B squads? It seems, from just glancing at some of the squads, that the South American teams play their A teams. Wouldn't it be a great way to continue building the North American squads confidence and gain some needed respect by holding their own against these teams? I get the reason why they need two North American teams because of the numbers but why bother if they aren't even going to bother showing up? I guess none of the South American teams want the competition from non-South American teams?

The only other reason I would mention is that games outside of your Confederation are weighted as friendlies in the FIFA rankings. So even if the competition is better, the games don't count as much.

 

[ZooCougar]

Yea, I think they were saving them for the Gold Cup. We did the same thing last time we went down for the Copa America, sent a B team. (B-, maybe a C team??)

Yup, they are fielding two completely different squads from the sound of it.

 

[UCFBfan]

Thanks for the feedback. Never really followed this until I started watching soccer more closely the past few years (probably since the last Copa America)

 

[ZooCougar]

Thanks for the feedback. Never really followed this until I started watching soccer more closely the past few years (probably since the last Copa America)

I would love to see a Gold Cup and Copa in the years after a WC. And then take the best 8 from (4) CONCACAF and (4) CONMEBOL and have a unified tournament in the second summer after a WC. Have two groups of four, let the best two in each group advance and of semis, a third place match and the finals.

CONCACAF would get waxed, but it would be a good show.

 

[SAMCRO]

Chi-chi-chi-le-le-le beat Uruguay 1-0. Uruguay was down to 9 players after 2 red cards in 2nd half. Second one was very late

 

[UCFBfan]

There was a total BS call against Cavanni that resulted in a Chilean player somehow falling to the ground because the air hit him and Cavanni got the yellow for it and it was his second. Stupid.

 

[businesslawyer]

Why was Uruguay imitating the Seattle Sounders?

 

[ZooCougar]

Why was Uruguay imitating the Seattle Sounders?

Seattle not only invented soccer. But they invented fouling as well.

 

[ZooCougar]

Why was Uruguay imitating the Seattle Sounders?

And did you see the Red Bulls last night? I need to buy them a beer for beating RSL. Surprised New York didn't score more with RSL down to 9 men.

 

[SAMCRO]

Argentina beats Colombia on PK's after finishing 0-0. Ospina was amazing in goal for Col making some huge saves to send it to PK's.They will play the Brazil-Paraguay winner.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Argentina beats Colombia on PK's after finishing 0-0. Ospina was amazing in goal for Col making some huge saves to send it to PK's.They will play the Brazil-Paraguay winner.

And yet some folks (not me) think that Arsenal can do better than Ospina.

 

[SAMCRO]

Brazil falls to Paraguay on PK's. What is happening to the Canarinho's

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Brazil falls to Paraguay on PK's. What is happening to the Canarinho's

Brazil Football today reminds me a bit of the 2006 UConn men's basketball team. Very dangerous, very talented; but, no central leader(s) who everyone else respects/fears and that annoying habit of expecting to win every match by simply showing-up with that jersey on. The problem with Brazil right now is that everyone thinks that they can beat Brazil right now after their 7 to 1 embarrassment against Germany in the WC semi-finals at home.

 

[meyers7]

And yet some folks (not me) think that Arsenal can do better than Ospina.

We can. We have.