The first day of the quarter-finals of the 2007 Copa America filled all my predictions.

As I wrote on my previous post this year's competition will put in the semifinals the traditional teams of South America.

These saturday's games started to prove me right.

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Game 1:  Venezuela  1  x  4  Uruguay

I'm sincerely very happy for Venezuela playing in the quarter finals. For a team that was always consired the (biggest) underdog in South America - a certain win for all other countries - "Los Viños Tintos" showed a lot of improvement in the competition and I just hope soccer becomes more and more popular in that country.

And I have to say that Venezuela didn't play a bad game against Uruguay. The first half was pretty balanced with both teams being cautious and creating few chances. Uruguay scored first with Forlan at the 37th minute and Arango tied 3 minutes later in a free kick.

And "La Celeste"  kept on pushing the team up against a Venezulelan defense that started to shown signs of exhaustion in the second half.

After Pablo Garcia, in a perfect shot from outside the box, scored the second goal for Uruguay that was it for Venezuela. The defense was tired, the midfield couldn't produce and the offense tried desesperately to move up and tie the game again. "La Celeste" kept control of the ball and waited...

Waited until the right moment to bury Venezuela's hopes. That moment came late in game but it came twice. Cristian Rodiguez scored Uruguay's 3rd goal at the minute 41 and Diego Forlan "closed the coffin" at the minute 45.

Uruguay whooped Venezuela but the large goal difference does not really indicate that Uruguay played that well, or that Venezuela played that bad.

 Man of the Match:  Diego Forlan

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Game 2: Brasil  6  x  1  Chile

One sentence to summarize the game: Robinho & cia. are back and ready to play hard and fight for the Championship!!!

Chile didn't even see the color of the ball in this game. Not because they didn't have space to create, not because Brasil defense suddenly corrected all its deficiencies. No. It was simply because Brasil DOMINATED them.

And I would be very unffair I didn't mention the WONDERFUL goal by Alberto Suazo... An disturbing drible in between Gilberto's legs and a classy lobby shot over Doni, the brazilian goalkeeper.

If Brasil is not a very consistent team at least we can say that when they show at least some of their individual talent, this team can face any opponent ... even Argentina (???)

GOALS:

FIRST HALF --> Juan (15min)  /  Julio Baptista (22min)   /   Robinho (27min)

SECOND HALF-> Robinho (6min)  /  Josué (23min) / Suazo (30min) / Vagner Love (39min)

Men of the match: Robinho, Juan and Julio Baptista - they started the whopping

IN TIME:

 One of my favorite members here on OLEOLE left this comment on my last post where I predicted the teams that would move to the Semi-Finals:

 Manogil, manogil, you are really off this time. I like Venezuela over Uruguay. Specially since Uruguay cannot play as a team, add to that tha Venezuela is playing at home, and the result is a 2-1 Venezuela. Brasil will advance but they're gona get the scare of their lives...Chile will score and make things tight I think 3-2 Brasil. You are way off with Mexico. I think they have a good chance if they can capitalize. Mexico 2-1 or 3-2. And finally, Argentina will smack the hell out of Peru 3-0.

Well, my friends,  I AM NOT THE TRUTH HOLDER but I've been following this game for 25 years now and I take my games analysis very seriously. I want you guys to question me but also to know that I say what I say based on impartial observations.

I actually LIKE when I get it wrong because that's what makes this game and my profession so interesting: you never know what the outcome is gonna be for sure.

But for this QUARTER FINALS the only game that I would not bet for sure is Mexico and Paraguay. I WANT MEXICO TO WIN BUT I BELIEVE PARAGUAY'S DEFENSE WILL GIVE CASTILLO AND BRAVO A HARD TIME TOMORROW.

But please... keep sending your comments!!!! I really love a good, healthy discussion

Not to suffer any goals. That's all Mexico needed to garantee the first place in Group B in the game against Chile.

Coach Hugo Sanchez decided to spare some of the main players. Castillo, Rafa Marquez and Cacho gave place to Bravo, Pineda and the one the fans wanted to see back on the team,  Andres Guardado.

For Chile, the task was more serious. The team needed at least a  tie to advance to the quarter-finals.

The first minutes of game showed the immense possibility for a 0 x 0.

Despite some good plays and chances, both teams were confortable without forcing or exposing each others defense to anything too drastic.

 Very, very, very boring game

Final Score: Mexico  0  x  0   Chile

Both teams move to the quarter finals and my predictions for this group are half way to be precise: Mexico 1st. place and Chile 3rd. place of the group.

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The second half of my prediction would happened if Brazil wearing the blue jersey, repeated the good soccer shown in their last game.

To play Ecuador, coach Dunga kept the team that finished the game against Chile. Daniel Alves (for Maicon), Josué (for Elano) and Julio Baptista (for Anderson) ... In my opinion a formation that could give Robinho more freedom to do what he knows best: terrorize defenses.

For Ecuador what's left is the necessity to play a good game a prove why this country has been to last world cups. Chances to move to the quarter finals??? Oh, yeah... I'd say 10%. They would have to score something like 2 or 3 goals against Brazil. And during the first half Ecuador DID have good chances to score.

One of these chances came in a clumsy move from Doni trying to cover the defense. Ai ai ai Doni!!!

Robinho & cia. didn't show the same quality from the last game but in the end of the first half a good opportunity with Vagner Love taking a powerful shot from outside the box. The play culminated with a good save by Elizaga.

End of first half: Brazil  0  x  0  Ecuador

 And I was praying for at least 45 minutes of good soccer today...

The second half starts with Brazil palying a little better and at the 9th minute Robinho swings from one side to the other using the "step-over"  - his most famous move - and Espipoza uses the arm to dislocate the brazilian forward. Penalty for Brazil and Robinho scores  his 4th goal in the Copa America.

At the 33rd minute Ecuador had 2 questionable situations, both involving Brazil's defender Alex. In the first one he pushed the forward from Ecuador in the box and in my opinion the referee should have called the penalty. The second one Tenorio took a dive in the box a this time it was nothing. But had the referee called the penalty the game could've improved in the last minutes.

Nothing interesting happened in the game. A weak 1 x 0 for Brazil that was pretty boring in fact.

Brazil moves to the quarter-finals and will face Chile again.

Final Score: Brazil  1  x   0 Ecuador.

Group B:  1st Mexico, 2nd. Brazil, 3rd. Chile

IN TIME: The best part of the games today were probably the presence of the beautiful supporters on the stands

See you all tomorrow

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