Sixteen chase a Copa dream - COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO
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| AFP |
The ten CONMEBOL sides and six CONCACAF invitees that will cross swords at the 2016 Copa America Centenario 2016 will do so with one goal in mind: to lift the trophy in New Jersey. Such a success would mean different things to different sides, however, from staying out front as the most successful team in the history of the competition to making the best possible debut, or from consolidating long-term projects to getting them off the ground.
The oldest international competition in the world is celebrating its centenary this year, while this, the 45th staging of the tournament, is the first to be held in the USA. FIFA.com previews the event, which starts on Friday and runs to Sunday 26 June.
The 2015 final replayed
Reigning champions Chile will defend their title with a squad similar to the one that made history in Santiago a year ago. The one major change has come in the dugout, with Juan Antonio Pizzi having taken charge of La Roja last January. The new man will hope for a big response from his players as he puts his plans to the test.
The Chileans will have the toughest of starts to their title defence, with 14-time Copa winners and last year’s runners-up Argentina providing the opposition in their opening game in Group D. La Albiceleste are just one title short of matching Uruguay’s record of 15 competition wins, and will be calling on all their big names in a bid to make that happen. Pressing their case in attack will be Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain, who struck a record 36 goals in Serie A this last season.
Completing the section are 1963 champions Bolivia and tournament newcomers Panama, who will both look to upset their more esteemed rivals. Bolivian hopes depend to a large extent on Rodrigo Ramallo, the scorer of 14 goals with The Strongest last season, while Los Canaleros, who beat Cuba in a play-off, will be banking on Gabriel Torres up front, following his 22 goals in the Venezuelan league.
Too close to call
Paraguay and Colombia will look to dictate terms in Group A, which has all the makings of a tight section. After their failure to reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, the Paraguayans turned to Ramon Diaz in an effort to bring the good times back. His first test came at the 2015 Copa America, where his side exceeded expectations by reaching the semi-finals. Almost two years into the job now, El Pelado will hope to see further signs of improvement from his men.
Los Cafeteros will seek to maintain the steady course they have charted since their Argentinian coach Jose Nestor Pekerman took charge in 2012, and continue to play their pleasing brand of attacking football.
USA and Costa Rica complete the quartet in Group A, with the hosts eyeing an improvement on the fourth place they managed in 1995. Now under Oscar Ramirez, Los Ticos are hoping for further progress as they continue to build on their run to the last eight at Brazil 2014.
Brazil the one to beat
Favourites to win Group B, Brazil know what it means to triumph in the USA. World Cup winners on American soil in 1994, they are anxious to land a title that has eluded them for nine years. Coach Dunga has been forced to make some last-minute changes to his side following some late withdrawals from the squad, including Neymar, who will be helping his country in the quest for a gold medal at the Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 in August.
Ecuador and Peru are both looking to make a mark. La Tri are riding high in the qualifiers for Russia 2018, lying second in the table, while the Peruvians, who won the Copa in 1939 and 1975, have their sights set on going at least one better than in the last two competitions, in which they finished third. The star asset is Paolo Guerrero, who is aiming to become the first player in Copa America history to be leading goalscorer at three tournaments in a row.
With such experienced opposition, Haiti face a tough assignment, though they can take heart from their play-off defeat of Trinidad and Tobago, who lie above USA in the Russia 2018 qualifiers.
Old foes meet again
Group C is set to throw up another exciting duel between Uruguay and Mexico. There is not much that has not already been said about Los Charrúas, who won the title in 2011 and have been under the tutelage of Oscar Tabarez for ten years. United, committed and never anything less than passionate, the Uruguayans are obvious contenders. Fresh from scoring 59 goals during the domestic campaign, their chief strike threat Luis Suarez is looking for even more to finish his season on a high.
El Tri, meanwhile, are facing their first test of the Juan Carlos Osorio era. The Colombian coach has the task of building on their fine World Cup qualification form and will be looking for support in that respect from Javier Hernandez, who seems to be enjoying life at Bayer Leverkusen, having scored 26 goals for the German club in three competitions.
Jamaica have been making rapid progress of late, as their run to the 2015 Gold Cup final showed, while Venezuela have the recently installed Rafael Dudamel at the helm and will be something of an unknown quantity.
Who will be the breakthrough sides and who will spring the surprises? The answers to those questions will be revealed shortly.