The group stages of Copa America are finally wrapping up with Group C finishing play. Chile-Uruguay, probably the best pairing of the group stages. And yes...I said something similar about Peru and Brazil and that turned into a 5-0 drubbing, well...Uruguay is better than Peru. Nico Lodeiro has been Uruguay’s best performer so far, shocking all the anti-MLS feelings when he was selected, and will try to do it again. Uruguay’s defense looked suspect against Japan when they got caught napping twice and fell behind a goal. Each time they fought back. Uruguay has the fight within them to come back in any match. Chile has been as good of an attack as Uruguay, with a slightly better defense.

Japan and Ecuador have to win. A win sends them to the knockout stage, a draw sends them home. Ecuador has two reds in two matches and no goals from the run of play. Japan looked lost against Chile and looked very competitive against Uruguay, grabbing a lead twice. Both sides at one point will probably commit to attacking with reckless abandonment. Who has to do it first? Who is successful at it? Who can retreat back?

Paraguay needed a win to guarantee advancing but beating Colombia, even one using squad rotation, is a tough task. Paraguay only managed two shots on target and were nowhere close to threatening for most of the match. Colombia grabbed a 1-0 win and while they did not look commanding, again, they finished with three wins in three games.

Argentina finally showed quality from players other than Leo Messi with an early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late goal from Sergio Aguero to put away Qatar. While Argentina did not look like a team that deserved second in the group, they held Qatar to only four shots and just one on target. Qatar did have some possession, about 44%, but we not able to create quality chances on the break and just had to weather the attacks and possession of Argentina. Qatar only earned one point, a draw with Paraguay, but they should feel good about the performance they put in at Copa America.

The Gold Cup Group B matches are pretty...unimportant compared Group A or Group C. Costa Rica and Haiti are guaranteed to advance. They are just playing for positioning. Winner of the group gets Canada, while second place plays Mexico in Houston. Costa Rica has the GD advantage, meaning they advance with a draw. Costa Rica is a better side and are averaging three goals a match. Haiti, for its part, is averaging two goals a match and is showing why they’ve been one of the top teams in Concacaf Nations League matches. Elias Aguilar leads the team with two goals, his first two national team goals in his career, and will look to bag another one before the group stage is up. Haiti did make the quarterfinals in 2015 and 2009 but since making it in 2002, they’ve only made it through two of the eight group stages. At that, since adopting the three and/or four team group stage format of the Gold Cup, Haiti has never won a group. Costa Rica may get sloppy and if they do, expect Haiti to grab a win.

Bermuda and Nicaragua are playing and that is about it. Both teams would like to get a result and have nothing to play for in this one. Hopefully they both take playing for the future and dignity as a big thing and make a pretty entertaining game. Nicaragua has yet to score a goal in this tournament, while Bermuda has lost both games 2-1. So for one of those streaks to continue, Bermuda must lose 2-1 and get Nicaragua their first goals or Bermuda will win 1-0 and keep their one goal a game status and Nicaragua can end the tournament with zero goals for.

What to Watch?

• Nico Lodeiro. Again. He may have subbed off and Uruguay may have not won but Nico played hero again. Nico provided the corner, and assist, Jose Gimenez headed in for a goal. Nico has been involved in the build up (with an official or unofficial assist) or scored the goal for all but two of Uruguay’s six goals. He’ll be given freedom again to operate, but largely staying out left, to pull the strings for Uruguay’s offense. He’s the player to watch.
• Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas. They were the picks last time out too and Alexis Sanchez had a great game. They are carrying the offense and against a Uruguayan defense that looked suspect against Japan, but great against Ecuador, they will have their chances. Can they outscore the Lodeiro-Cavani-Suarez offense?
• Ecuador’s discipline. Ecuador’s red card against Chile didn’t impact that match, since it happened in the 89th but still Ecuador has two reds in two matches. Will they stay disciplined or go a perfect 3-for-3 on red cards?
• Either Japan or Ecuador can advance with a win, will Japan’s defense get caught? Japan has given up six goals in the two matches. While Ecuador is not anywhere near the offense Chile and Uruguay has, they still have a formidable offense. Japan can score, especially against a similarly weak Ecuadorian defense, but can they stop enough shots to get a win? I’m betting yes and that the goals come from Koji Miyoshi again.
• Costa Rica can advance with a draw and is definitely better than Haiti, so they may rotate the squad. Winning or drawing a match ensures they play Canada not Mexico. Will they look sloppy, as Mexico did, knowing that a draw alone is enough to get the desired group finish?
• Haiti wants to show they deserve to be here and deserve to be in the quarterfinals. They want to show this is no fluke. Haiti is going for goals and a win against Costa Rica and they may catch them napping.
• Bermuda and Nicaragua have nothing to play for, except their dignity, so what show do they put on? Probably a similar one to the Bermuda-Haiti match from day one and that was, well it was lacking quality but not excitement.

Copa America Standings

Copa America Advancing Scenarios

• Chile: Secured a place in the knockout round. Finishes first with a win OR draw. Finishes second with a loss.
• Uruguay: Secured a place in the knockout round. Finishes first with a win. Finishes second with a draw OR a loss AND ECU-JPN draw/ECU win/JPN win by less than an eight goal change in GD. Finishes third with a loss AND JPN win that combines to be eight GD.
• Japan: Finishes second with win AND Uruguay loss AND close eight goal differential. Finishes third and advances with a win. Can’t advance with a draw or loss.
• Ecuador: Finishes third and advance with a win. Can’t advance with a draw or loss.
• Paraguay: Advances if ECU-JPN ends in a draw.

Gold Cup Standings

Gold Cup Advancing Scenarios

• Costa Rica: Finish first in the group with a win OR draw. Finish second with a loss.
• Haiti: Finish first in the group with a win. Finish second with a draw OR loss.
• Bermuda: Eliminated.
• Nicaragua: Eliminated.

How to Watch?

Chile v. Uruguay

Group: C (Copa America)

Location: Estadio Jornalista Mário Filho (Maracanã), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Date and time: June 24, 2019, 4:00 p.m. PT

TV: Telemundo (Spanish)

Streaming: ESPN+ (affiliate link), Telemundo, FuboTV (affiliate link)

Ecuador v. Japan

Group: C (Copa America)

Location: Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto (Mineirão), Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Date and time: June 24, 2019, 4:00 p.m. PT

TV: Telemundo (Spanish)

Streaming: ESPN+ (affiliate link), Telemundo, FuboTV (affiliate link)

Bermuda v. Nicaragua

Group: B (Gold Cup)

Location: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ

Date and time: June 24, 2019, 3:30 p.m. PT

TV: FS2 (English), Univision (Spanish)

Streaming: Fox Sports Go, Univision, FuboTV(affiliate link)

Haiti v. Costa Rica

Group: B (Gold Cup)

Location: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ

Date and time: June 24, 2019, 5:30 p.m. PT

TV: FS1 (English), Univision (Spanish)

Streaming: Fox Sports Go, Univision, FuboTV (affiliate link)

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