A very good game to open the day of the last round for the group stages of the Copa America 2007. Both Bolivia and Peru came to field with the quarter finals in mind. For Peru a draw would be enough but for Bolivia only a victory could save them.

Bolivia then score the first goal with Moreno (very good player) at the 23rd minute.

Moreno celebrates the first goal for Bolivia

10 minutes later Pizarro with an excellent header tied the game.

But Bolivia didn't give up. At the very end of the first half Andaveris served Campos in the box and with no coverage Campos scored the second goal.

On the second half Bolivia started contolling the game by passing the ball and using the advantage of one extra man obtained at the 30th minute with the red card received by Herrera, the dream of moving to quarter final seemed more and more real.

Pizarro again was the responsible for tranforming the Bolivian dream in a real nightmare. In a play that looked like a replay of the first goal, he scored Peru's second goal which assured their place in the quarter finals.

Too bad for Bolivia that show a lot of evolution in their game but it wasn't enough yet...

 Final Score: Bolivia  2  x  2  Peru

Man of the Match - Pizarro

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Venezuela and Uruguay came to the field trying not to risk too much. Especially Venezuela because after the 2 x 2 between Peru and Bolivia wanted more than ever play a deffesive strategy to keep their first place in the group.

Uruguay attacked more but also decided to play it safe. But the young Uruguayan team had some chances but for most of the game nothing really dangerous happen.

If yesterday we watched the best game in the competition so far, I'd risk to say that Uruguay vs. Venezuela BORED ME TO DEATH.

Do you guys know when you keep watching the clock on the top of your screen and it seems that time is not passing?? You check the clock and it's still 20 minutes in the second half and nothing, absolute nothing made you hold tight to your chair. That's my view on Venezuela and Uruguay this evening. BORING BORING BORING...

Final score: Venezuela  0  x   0  Uruguay

** THE FIRST GAME THAT ENDED WITHOUT GOALS IN THIS COPA AMERICA ***

 We are almost there folks!!!

Tonight we start the last round of the groups stage of the 2007 Copa America.

Things seem to be pretty much defined but I'd like to point out some predictions and the games that will form the QUARTER FINALS

********************************************************************** 

Group A:

Venezuela now with 4 points won't be able to stop the young Uruguay that needs to win to move forward.

Peru will garantee the first place in the group by beating Bolivia.

Standings (prediction)

1st. Peru - 6pts   .:.  2nd. Uruguay - 6pts  .:.  3rd Venezuela - 4pts 

**********************************************************************

Group B

Brazil will beat Ecuador and will jump to 6 points

But Mexico and Chile will settle with a tie which will allow Mexico to be the first in the group with 7pts and will give Chile its 4th point to move to the quarter finals.

Standings (prediction)

1st. Mexico - 7pts  .:.  2nd. Brazil - 6pts  .:. 3rd. Chile - 4pts.

**********************************************************************

Group C

No surprises here. I don't think Paraguay is gonna beat Argentina but I wouldn't be surprised if they tied their game. It won't really make a lot of difference at this point for the group. I'm gonna say Argentina is gonna win just because maybe Basille will use some bench players that will be determined to show their qulities, and brother, what a bench!!!

Standings (prediction)

1st. Argentina - 9pts.  .:.  2nd. Paraguay - 6pts.

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So, to me, that's how the QUARTER FINALS will look like:

        X       

     Peru                                            Chile

            X  

Venezuela                              Brazil

          X   

  Mexico                                 Paraguay

          X  

 Argentina                            Uruguay

****** Let's just see with my crystal ball is really working now ******

LATER TONIGHT:  THE POST GAME ANALISYS OF VENEZUELA vs. URUGUAY

See you later!!!

Well, what is there to say about Paraguay vs. USA?

The old saying once again stands: if you don't transform your oppotunities in goals sooner or later your opponent will...

The young american team definetely put up a fight and play as hard as they could BUT THEY SIMPLY CAN'T SCORE... The last pass, the last shot, the decisive moment... that's when we see the USA fall before more efficient teams.

Not much to say after all...

Paraguay played the ball very well, made the ball run and was awarded for being more efficient...

Soccer is quality, not quantity...

And the decision of the group C tends to be between Paraguay and Argentina after all...

GAME PROFILE:

 See ya soon ...

I normally don't like to blog about the games in advance... on my other blog I posted a PRE COPA AMERICA ANALISIS but a visitor of Ole Ole posted the following comment on somebody else's blog today:

Mexico is the first team to garantee their spot in the next round of the 2007 Copa America. Their win tonight against Ecuador was a vindication of the good work of Mr. Hugo Sanchez and his team. But there's a question buggin me and I hope some of you can help me: WHY DIDN'T NERY CASTILLO PLAY IN THE GOLD CUP FINALS???  Well, thatis past now... And in the present we can only say that as I predicted, Mexico is a really strong candidate to win this competition.

As for Ecuador, now there's a very remote chance to qualify but they would have to beat Brazil with a good goal difference and pray for a Mexico to beat Chile by a large score too... A task that is not impossible but improbable if Brazil play the way they played earlier... but in soccer (almost) everything is possible.

THE GAME:

In the first half Ecuador had a good ball possesion, Mexico waited with caution and explored the counter-attacks trying to get the ball to Nery Castillo.

And "el matador"Castillo didn't let his team mates down. At the 21st minute Hurtado failed and the ball was passed to Nery Castillo inside the box and he dribled Mora and send the ball to the net.

Mexico 1 X 0 Ecuador (Nery Castillo)

 After the goal Mexico went back to the good defensive strategy, the same they used against Brazil. Ecuador had more ball possesion but was useless.

The mexicam team had two more chances in the end of the first half to score the second goal but that would only really come in the second half.

4 minutes in the second half and Oswaldo Sanchez proved that Mexico (not like Brazil) has the privilege of having two EXCELLENT goalkeepers. In a great shot by Tenorio from outside the box, Sanchez jumped and streched his whole body to the right side to tap the ball out of bounds... An amazing save!!!

But Mexico didn't completely abandon the attack. Using again the speed and talent of Castillo the team created good opportunities and even though Ecuador was trying to put some pressure on Mexico's defense it was the Azteca Team who socred their second goal. 

On his first touch on the ball, Cuauhtemoc Blanco (that came in for Castillo) crossed a perfect ball and what Ecuador failed to do in more than 3 opportunities, Omar Bravo got it right the first time. A perfect header. And Mexico doubled their lead.

Mexico  2 x 0 Ecuador  (Omar Bravo)

Ecuador got their goal at the 39th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box by Mendez that hit a mexican defender before going inside Sanchez's goal.

But that was it... Mexico played their game very well and once again was very disciplined tactically...

Final Score: Mexico 2  x 1  Ecuador

Castillo (21) the man of the match 

***************************************************************

My impression is that Mexico really plays better against South American teams. The style of soccer played by teams like Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, etc... allow the mexicans to explore their counter attacks using the wings, the tallent of players like Nery Castillo crashing the defenses, and Bravos speed and energy to run for all game long. But when they face an european style of game such as the one practiced by the USA they find it hard to break through. It's a heavier game, with more running and less space for the talent.

I honestly believe Mexico should start figuring out a way to perform their game no matter if it's against Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina or Portugal, England or the USA.... But that is no task for a journalist to figure out... I'll leave that for the competent Mr. Hugo Sanchez...

See ya tomorrow...

United States

v

Paraguay

Argentina

v

Colombia

Predictions: Argentina wins 3 X 1 and the USA will tie the game with Colombia 1 x 1

A game of life and death for Brazil.  A defeat could mean an early trip back home. For Chile, any score (as long as it's not a bad lost) is acceptable. They already have 3 points.

 Since the first minutes of the game Brazil presents a better passing, a better ball control and a little bit of the magical soccerwe all expected to see.

 Robinho seems confortable playing on the sides of the attack. Anderson looks a little lost in the midfield, once his favorite role is doing exactly what Robinho does too.

Chile tries to fill the spaces and close down on Vagner Love, Robinho and Anderson.

 At the minute 25 one of the best substitutions that Dunga made in this Copa America: Daniel Alves comes in for Maicon who left the field with an injured shoulder and has to watch from the bench a great game by the young Daniel Alves...

33 minutes and the Chilean defender Riffo uses the arm to push Vagner love inside the box in a ball that was already far from Love's reach. A silly, childish, amateur play by Riffo that gave Robinho the chance to score Brazil's first goal in a penalty kick...

Robinho takes the penalty, not a good shot but enough to beat the good goalkeeper Bravo.

End of first half --> Brazil 1 x 0 Chile...

The second starts very mellow... maybe TOO mellow. Chile doesn't want to risk losing the game by 2, 3 or more goals... Brazil is satisfied with the one goal lead and waits for the right moment to counter attack.

But before Brazil decides to go back to their game they are awaken by an AMAZING play by chilean striker Suazo. In a great individual play he let 2 defenders sitting on the ground but was not luck in the shot and Alex came and saved the certain goal.

Then it happens, Brazil wakes up: with Gilberto Silva and Josué giving more deffensive support in the midfield and Julio Baptista creating spaces, Robinho and Vagner Love invites the chilean defense for a "dance".

 In a great pass by Gilberto Silva Vagner Love gets the ball inside the box and rolls it to Robinho coming os the right side... Robinho tips the ball over Bravo and that's Brazil second goal.

and at the 40th minute. A extremely fast counter attack gives Robinho a HAT TRICK... With the left foot he takes a shot from the right side of the box and puts the ball into the net.

In the end we can say that if Brazil gets all their pieces well posioned on the field and ding their job, those young players can put up a good fight against Argentina in case they meet later in the competition.

For Chile now they have the option to cheer for Ecuador to at least tie the game against a very motivated Mexico, and their decide their fate against Los Mexicanos in their next game.

Final score --> Brazil  3  x  0  Chile

 Robinho - the man of the match

Coming up later today ---> Next Blog ---> MEXICO vs ECUADOR

Well, well, well... it seems my crystal is back to work ... I predicted the socre and I got it right... but that isn't really the most important let's actually talk about the game...

It was really surprising when within 8 minutes of the first half the USA "B" team opened the score in a penalty kick by Eddie Johnson... I honestly didn't even have time to break a sweat: 1 minute later Hernan Crespo tied the game and the American Dream (of beating Argentina) was over.

Nothing very interesting really happened on the first half until Veron forced Keller to make an amazing saving by the end of the half...

End of first half: ARGENTINA "A" 1 X 1 USA "B" (and Bob Bradley probably went to the locker room happy... if only he knew)


The second half starts with Argentina prepraring the ground for what I like to call the "killer bee attack". Even though Messi seemed lost on the field he started the play to Riquelme that would deliver the ball to Crespo whom in a good diagonal shot, scored the second goal on the minute 18.

"Killer bee attack" was about to start. Pablo Aimar took Cambiasso's place and Carlos Tevez came in for Messi (who didn't really play well). The substitutions were the catalyst for the massacre!!!

Naturally, as if they were playing a pick up game on a sunday afternoon, Pablo Aimar and Carlos Tevez scored the goals that made my prediction absolutely correct... "killer bee attack" was quick, efficient and lethal.

It really pays off to have a Riquelme on the team, doesn't it?



Final Score: ARGENTINA 4 X 1 USA




Maradona was happy on the stands of the stadium.

Too bad Mr. Bob Bradley decided to spare the best American players... to play in the MLS (???) ...
Does Argentina care about that??? I don't think so...



In time:

*Even with the 3 goals difference today Argentina will have to wait until next game to try to get the first place in the group after Roque Santa Cruz and Cabanas gave Paraguay a sound 5 X 0 victory over Colombia.

'NEXT GAME --> Venezuela vs. Peru

 Peru beats Venezuela 3 X 1 ... that's my prediction




See you all tomorrow

I had expectations that Brazil would win this game but I knew Mexico would play a lot better than they played in the Gold Cup. They always play better against Brazil and Argentina but I just thought the young brazilian team could put on a better spectacle.

During the first minutes of the game the teams studied each other and it took 20 minutes until Mexico got closer to Brazil's goal and when they did...

A fantatisc, a genius play by Castillo opened the score!!! He put the ball over a brazilian defender and before it hit the ground he kicked it into the net. One of those magical soccer moments.

Brazil got totally lost after Mexico's goal and to make things worse, Doni - the goalkeeper who should not be part of this team (I don't know why Roma got that guy) - watched a curvy but low ball fly over the wall and hit the end of the net in a free kick taken by Morales, and that was only after 27 minutes into the first half. Mexico 2 X 0 Brazil.

The rest of the first half can be summarized with the sound of the mexican supporter singing "ole" to an excellent ball control from their team and an appatic Brazil.

End of first half: Mexico 2 X 0 Brazil

The second half was a totally different game: Brazil brought in two almost unknown players to many people: Afonso and Anderson.

Robinho moved to the midfield and started to create very dangerous plays with short passes, one-twos, and good crossings but the attack would always stop in the hands of the inspired goalkeeper Ochoa, the strong mexican defense or the bad luck of its own forwards.

End of story:
* Brazil seemed like suffering from World Cup recurring virus: a bunch of talented players who can't complete passes, who can't create plays and only decide to play with passion after suffering one or two goals... WAKE UP BRAZIL!!!

*Mexico was able to overcome the exhaustion of playing the Gold Cup and didn't allow Robinho to perform. Also was able to create good plays and keep the ball under its control for most of the game. Rafa Marquez and Ochoa showed a lot of talent in what they do: defend... ARRIBA MEXICO!!!

In time: Mexico could have scored at least 2 more goals that would possibly shred Brazil's morale for next game but Castillo and Bravo missed two incredible chances in excellent counter-attacks.

Tomorrows Game --> USA vs. Argentina ...

my prediction: well, my crystal ball hasn't been accurate but I'd risk to say Argentina will sweep USA ... 4 X 1

Hasta Mañana