Ok, Robinho showed 10 minutes of his class, but this Brazil full of muscles and centimetres did not deserve such a score. Chile could draw with Humberto Suazo in the second half, but after six, seven dribbles his shot were stopped by Juan. If the player of Monterrey scored, it wouldn't have been easy for the Seleçao to get through but Brazil, good for Dunga, has Robinho.

The Brazilian coach has been criticized for being unexperienced, and maybe he is going against the tradition and the characteristics of the Verde-oro team: no fantasy, a lot of defensive midfielder, no stars (but here it's not Dunga's fault). The quarterfinals seem to be reached, but Brazil needs more if they want to win the Copa. Chile, on the contrary, played well until second Robinho's goal, but they were too nervous during the match, especially after the penalty kick assigne to the Brazilian at the end of first half.

Let's see what happens next Wednesday in Group B, anyway it's a good thing for Brazil that if they will be second at the end, they'll face (what a strange format!) the best third. For Chile it's going to be tough, but beforewe have to wait what happens between Mexico and Ecuador. 

I'm sorry for my US friends and for all US Soccer fan, but as an Italian and an Inter fan, I have to root for Argentina in this Copa America 2007. Half players of the Albiceleste has Italian origins, and the other half plays for Inter! But I also would like to tell you that the USMNT were really ok for one hour: the problem is that it's the last 30 minutes that make the difference between a good team and a top team. And Argentina is full of stars...

Anyway, I was not surprised that theafter US scored first, with a penalty kick by Eddie Johnson of Kansas City, but Argentina was lucky to equalize immediately: Crespo scored with the open goal after a free kick, and after a shot saved by Keller. Good chances for Argentina at the end of first half (especially a great shot by Veron saved by Keller and the crossbar) but at half time the score was still 1-1.

Crespo, assisted by Messi, scored on 63 minutes the 2-1 goal reaching Maradona (present in Maracaibo) on the top of Albiceleste scorers, but most of all Argentina takes the lead. The Inter Milan player's diagonal shot is perfect, nothing to do for Keller. On minutes 77, after one minute of ball possession of the Argentinean, a cross from the left side by Heinze is converted by Aimar's header. Basile made a good choice, by replacing Cambiasso with him. There's time for Argentina to score the fourth goal, after a counter attack: Tevez, Messi's substitute, had no opposition and Keller was beaten once again.

As I said, good for the US team to play the first hour at the same level of the Argentina giants, but ehn Crespo scored his second goal, ther's been no reaction. Anyway, US keeps same percentage to get through they had before the game. On the contrary, though for Argentina it took 63 minutes to take the lead, bit after that things became easier and, good for me, Argentina is still favourite for this Copa America edition in Venezuela.

Here you have the highlights of the game:

Copa America is the most important football event of this summer, except for the Brazilian. Anyway, though a lot of stars were on golden beaches to have -at least!- some rest, I think that the fans are really disappointed for their team's defeat.

Here in Italy -6 hours ahead of Venezuela- the game was really late at night, so I preferred to watch the earlier one, same group and same stadium. Ecuador and Chile, no Serie A players involved (not the Romanista Pizarro, neither Jimenez of Lazio), but a very interesting game. I root for Chile, because my neighbours are from Ecuador and always make a lot of noise when they have a party in the garden. Ok, I'm jocking.

I expected Ecuador to win easily, and in fact at the beginning the early goal of Antonio Valencia and the 2-1, a header of Benitez I thought I was right. In the middle, the great shot of Humberto Suazo. Anyway, Ecuador lead at half time, and I was quite sure that the game was over for Chile (former Serie A defender Vargas was so slow!)especially when Suazo missed a chance to equalize on 63 minute. But Suaro scored a goal on 80 minutes (a mistake of Ecuador's defense) and 3' before the end, a great free kick by Carlos Villanueva with his left foot, gave 3 points to Chile. Chile and Mexico 3, Ecuador and Brazil 0: really, really surprising!

 

Video of the goals:

Ecuador 1-0 Chile (Valencia)

Ecuador 1-1 Chile (Suazo)

Ecuador 2-1 Chile (Benitez)

Ecuador 2-2 Chile (Suazo)

Ecuador 2-3 Chile (Villanueva)

 

 

Eight Inter players will take part to Copa America, in place from June 26 to July 15 in Venezuela. It's the Argentinean Burdisso, Cambiasso, Crespo e Zanetti ("El Tractor" is back after Peckerman did not call him for the World Cup), Colombian Cordoba, Brazilian Maicon, Recoba and Carini of Uruguay.

The sport commentators suddenly talked about possibile problems those players might have for the beginning of next season, as holidays will be shorter than usual. Everybody stated our World Champions of Italy had problems this year. We cannot say how much the Copa America participation will influence their performance (Inter is going to start their season the same day opf the Copa Final), but if you think that top players such as Kakà and Ronaldinho gave up, maybe they would prefer to have some vacation.

Anyways, apart from Italian Supercup (probably on August 18th), we don't think there will be problems for Inter. First of all, two of these eight players will leave or anyway normally do not play at all (Recoba e Carini), while three of them won't play the first Champions League games. We are talking of Burdisso, Cordoba and Maicon, sbanned for the boxe match in Valencia. Then, the Nerazzurri squad is so huge that Mancini can replace all of these players, letting them the right time to have rest and come back in August. Anyway, we hope that some of these eight players will be back to Appiano Gentile with the trophy, as it happened in 2004 with Adriano. 

There are miracles in football than cannot be explained. Take for example Greece in Euro 2004, or Verona in Serie A 1985. Unique exploits of underdogs, the eternal loosers that just once lift their head, beating their Goliath. A deeper analysis can show some factors that let us understand how the surprise is just around the corner, just like in Campeonato Sudamericano de Selecciones in 1963.

That year, for the first time in its 50 years history, the future Copa America (it will change its name in 1975) lands in an Andean country. This is Bolivia ruled by Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (Nationalist Revolutionary Movement, MNR), that came into power 11 years before, establishing the universal franchise, realizing the agricultural reform and nationalizing the tin-mines. Seven national teams take part to the Copa, after Uruguay and Chile withdraw, in a tournament that is held in the space of one month, march. All teams play against each other in one single group.

Venues are La Paz, (Estadio Hernando Siles), and Félix Capriles stadium in Cochabamba. The big teams Argentina and Brasile are favourite, but there's a detail: altitude. The 3.640 meters of the capital and 2.550 of Cochabamba, rarefied air and breathing problems frighten even those teams that, in the recent past, has eaten the Verde in one mouthful. The Bolivians start badly on March 10th, they incredibly draw at 4 against modest Ecuador: goals for the hosting team are scored by Lopez, Castillo, Alcócer and Camacho.

One week after, in Cochabamba, the first win comes: 2-1 to Colombia with a double by Maximo Alcócer, one of the most representative players, together with captain Wilfredo Camacho. The Verde defeats Peru, 3-2, on march 24. Paraguay, that until that moment has won all the games, wants to beat Bolivia, but Castillo scores for 1-0 and two minutes before the ending whistle Garcìa scores: 2-0 for the hosting team. Paraguay can still win if Argentina defeats coach Alvim's team, but Bolivia has a historical win. Minute 87, score is 2-2, Argentine goalie Andrada saves a penalty kick of Max Ramìrez, but after one minute Camacho scores again, served by Castillo.

Now Bolivia needs to beat Brazil to win the trophy, while Paraguay, second, will face Argentina. Brazil is not the team that won the World Cup one year before, with stars like Pelè ans Garrincha, but it's always a danger. In front of a 25.000 crowd, in Cochabamba Bolivian coach Alvim (but he is of Brazilian nationality) fields this formation: López; Cainzo, Espinoza; Ramírez, Camacho, Vargas; Blacutt, Alcócer, Ugarte, García, Castillo. Bolivia is 2-0 ahead after 25’ with Ugarte e Camacho, but in just three minutes Marco Antonio and Almìr equalize. Match goes on and off, the Verde leads 4-2 but Brazil equalizes again: 4-4. It's center-forward Alcócer (from Jorge Wilstermann, a Cochabamba club) to score the goal that goes down in Bolivian history. Maybe this is due to altitude, but Bolivia is at fever pitch.

In the whole country the victory raises the roof. "I remember I couldn't keep my jersey, and left the pitch almost naked" says captain Camacho after many years. “Our victory in ’63 –states Camacho- was due to a group of players like Ugarte and Ausberto Garcia, myself –in all modesty-, Alcócer, Ramiro Blacutt y Abdul Aramayo, people who liked to score a goal”. Journalist “Cucho” Vargas, the only correspondent in the championship, reminds a special anedocte about Camacho and Ramirez, the Copa America heroes. “The day we beat Argentina –Vargas says- was a Thursday and the whole country was celebrating. Everybody thought that players should have concentrated in view of the game against Brazil. As a journalist, I didn't have to concentrate, and I was in a dance hall, with a bad light, the Bola Rusch. My surprise was great when I saw two well-known figures, Camacho and Ramírez. I raised from the table, approached them and gave them five minutes to leave the dance hall; otherwise, I would have denounced them, so they left. This is just an anedocte, they stayed friend with me, but Camacho and Ramírez understood in that moment that what I told them was really important to live up to our fans' expectations”.