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Post by PotterLog on Jun 11, 2015 4:07:44 GMT
Starts today.
This started as a quick heads-up post, but ended up being something of an idiots' guide... so here it is, PL's Idiots' Guide to the Copa America, complete with question/answer format and everything.
What is it?
The continental tournament for South America (the CONMEBOL federation). Like the Euros but with a few mega-big countries rather than a hundred titchy ones. So few, in fact, that they have to invite a couple of others from outside South America to make up the numbers. This time it's Mexico and Jamaica joining the ten CONMEBOL nations. Previous invitees include the United States, Costa Rica and Japan.
Where is it?
Chile
When is it?
Starts tonight (or Friday morning technically) at 00.30. The final is 4th July.
What's the format?
Three groups of four teams. The top two plus the two best third-placers go through to the quarters, meaning only four teams are knocked out at the group stage.
What's the history?
Long and turbulent, like the rest of South American history. Formally the prosaically-named "South American Football Championship", they scrabbled around for decades with silly formats (3-leg finals, teams given byes to the semis and ending up playing only one match), odd numbers of teams (as few as five some years) and irregular spacing between tournaments (sometimes one year, sometimes four - in 1955 they had two in the same year). Just when it seemed to have stabilised as a 12-team, four-yearly tournament, they're throwing in another extra-special Centennial edition next year in the US.
Uruguay are the kings of this competition, winning it a record 15 times, including last time in 2011 in their fiercest rival Argentina's back yard - beating them along the way. That record is frankly staggering when you consider that Uruguay is by far the smallest of the CONMEBOL nations, with barely 1% of the population of Brazil and Argentina. Argentina are one behind with 14 titles and Brazil have a relatively paltry eight. The other nations are all on either 2 or 1 or 0.
What are the rivalries (aside from the obvious Brazil-Arge)?
Uruguay and Argentina are basically the same thing - so of course they hate each other in a sort of Scotland-England way, but with more competition. Brazil-Colombia is considered a major "clasico", Colombia having been a very good team in the past and sharing a volatile jungle border with Brazil. There's animosity between Paraguay and Uruguay, mostly because they have similar names. There are political things going on between Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina... Overall, being such a small federation, these teams all know each other pretty well so there's a bit of needle in most match-ups.
What happened last time?
The 2011 tournament was very unusual. In every quarter-final the underdog won, meaning the semi-finalists were Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela - the first time ever that neither Argentina nor Brazil reached the semis. Also Paraguay incredibly got to the final by scoring a grand total of zero goals in knockout games, and without winning a single game outright in the whole competition - I'm assuming that's the only time that's ever happened in a major tournament.
Groups & hopes
Group A
Chile - optimistic of claiming their first title at home with something of a golden generation of players Mexico (invited) - normally send an under-strength/young team, unlikely to be troubling the later stages Ecuador - fairly ordinary side, likely exit at quarters Bolivia - perennial also-rans
Group B
Argentina - clear favourites, will be stung from Uruguay going ahead in titles last time and gunning to pull back level, although surprisingly haven't won it for over 20 years Uruguay - will struggle without Suárez, who is banned, although you can never write them off in this competition Paraguay - did some fucking witchcraft to get to the final last time but their average squad may struggle to get out of the group Jamaica (invited) - here to make up the numbers
Group C
Brazil - hungry to win after WC humiliation, and won't be shipping 7 goals under Dunga. Wouldn't bet against them Colombia - good team, good manager, brilliant focal point in James Rodriguez. Up there with the favourites Peru - honestly I don't really know and couldn't be arsed to find out. Had good teams in the 70s Venezuela - a baseball nation, they spent years as whipping boys in the nogger, but the 2011 appearance in the semis showed they now have a respectable team
Times/broadcasting
Most games will start at 20.00, 22.30 or 00.30 in the UK. I'm led to believe you can watch it on Premier Sports and Xbox Live, whatever that is. Alternatively I'm sure streams won't be hard to come by.
First game - Chile vs Ecuador - tonight at 00.30.
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 11, 2015 5:03:01 GMT
I would like Chile win it. I've got a mate from Chile and also it seems a great place.
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Post by ohbottom on Jun 11, 2015 6:29:34 GMT
GOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRNNNNN Jamaica. Is Ric playing?
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Post by mosquito on Jun 11, 2015 6:35:38 GMT
GOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRNNNNN Jamaica. Is Ric playing? He can't make it, he has gone AWOL, helping to build someones house
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Post by ohbottom on Jun 11, 2015 6:37:44 GMT
GOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRNNNNN Jamaica. Is Ric playing? He can't make it, he has gone AWOL, helping to build someones house Not his grandmother's again is it?
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Post by ruts66 on Jun 11, 2015 10:45:35 GMT
The South American version of our European Championships kicks off at half past midnight tonight. Does anyone have experience of Premier Sports Player (non-Sky online version) offered at £9.99 per month ? www.premiersports.tv/2015-copa-america/2015-copa-am%C3%A9rica/Edit: Apologies, PotterLog, I didn't spot your earlier thread and have been merged...
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 11, 2015 12:06:39 GMT
Watching Brazil v Honduras. All rather laboured.
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Post by ruts66 on Jun 11, 2015 12:10:15 GMT
Watching Brazil v Honduras. All rather laboured. That's just a pre-tournament friendly, Joe - the real thing starts in 11 and bit hours...
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 11, 2015 12:12:56 GMT
Watching Brazil v Honduras. All rather laboured. That's just a pre-tournament friendly, Joe - the real thing starts in 11 and bit hours... I know but it doesn't bode well for them.
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 11, 2015 12:28:12 GMT
Watching Brazil v Honduras. All rather laboured. Slick move for the goal though.
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Post by dirtygary69 on Jun 11, 2015 12:58:55 GMT
Is this a new Apple gadget?
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Post by The Drunken Communist on Jun 11, 2015 13:03:13 GMT
Seeing as I backed Chile to win the last World Cup I thought I'd stick with them on home turf here. If I've worked it out right they should avoid Argentina/Brazil untill the final. What chance you give 'em, PotterLog?
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Post by skilljim on Jun 11, 2015 13:17:34 GMT
Anyone know why Diego Costa is 25/1 to be top goalscorer behind 12 other players? Won't he be Brazil's main striker?
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 11, 2015 13:21:15 GMT
Anyone know why Diego Costa is 25/1 to be top goalscorer behind 12 other players? Won't he be Brazil's main striker? Whichever bookie is giving odds on that is on the lookout for some serious mugs
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Post by skilljim on Jun 11, 2015 13:23:53 GMT
Anyone know why Diego Costa is 25/1 to be top goalscorer behind 12 other players? Won't he be Brazil's main striker? Whichever bookie is giving odds on that is on the lookout for some serious mugs Ahh don't worry mate, it's my thick self. Wrong D. Costa
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 11, 2015 13:30:12 GMT
Seeing as I backed Chile to win the last World Cup I thought I'd stick with them on home turf here. If I've worked it out right they should avoid Argentina/Brazil untill the final. What chance you give 'em, PotterLog? Going forward they're capable of obliterating any team, their high line and movement are so intense. They have a great chance, especially being at home, but speaking from the head rather than the heart I think their defence will probably let them down in the end.
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Post by ukcstokie on Jun 11, 2015 23:29:32 GMT
Anyone know to watch on Xbox live?
...or some decent streams?
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 12, 2015 0:30:55 GMT
HT Chile 0-0 Ecuador
Frustration for the home team so far.
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Post by mailman44 on Jun 12, 2015 0:41:28 GMT
HT Chile 0-0 Ecuador Frustration for the home team so far. But their build up play has been world class.
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 12, 2015 1:07:54 GMT
Arturo Vidal is a fantastic penno taker.
1-0 Chile
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Post by mailman44 on Jun 12, 2015 1:21:43 GMT
Dodgy penalty! Nice penno though by Vidal. I would like to see Chile win this tournament.
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Post by mailman44 on Jun 12, 2015 1:24:40 GMT
Now that was a beautiful passage of play by Chile.
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 12, 2015 1:24:50 GMT
YYEEEEEESSSSSSSS Edu Vargas!!!!
2-0
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Post by agingerstokie on Jun 12, 2015 6:42:43 GMT
Whichever bookie is giving odds on that is on the lookout for some serious mugs Ahh don't worry mate, it's my thick self. Wrong D. Costa That and Chelsea's Costa plays for Spain haha
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Post by stokemanusa on Jun 12, 2015 6:44:17 GMT
Starts today. This started as a quick heads-up post, but ended up being something of an idiots' guide... so here it is, PL's Idiots' Guide to the Copa America, complete with question/answer format and everything. What is it?The continental tournament for South America (the CONMEBOL federation). Like the Euros but with a few mega-big countries rather than a hundred titchy ones. So few, in fact, that they have to invite a couple of others from outside South America to make up the numbers. This time it's Mexico and Jamaica joining the ten CONMEBOL nations. Previous invitees include the United States, Costa Rica and Japan. Where is it?Chile When is it?Starts tonight (or Friday morning technically) at 00.30. The final is 4th July. What's the format?Three groups of four teams. The top two plus the two best third-placers go through to the quarters, meaning only four teams are knocked out at the group stage. What's the history?Long and turbulent, like the rest of South American history. Formally the prosaically-named "South American Football Championship", they scrabbled around for decades with silly formats (3-leg finals, teams given byes to the semis and ending up playing only one match), odd numbers of teams (as few as five some years) and irregular spacing between tournaments (sometimes one year, sometimes four - in 1955 they had two in the same year). Just when it seemed to have stabilised as a 12-team, four-yearly tournament, they're throwing in another extra-special Centennial edition next year in the US. Uruguay are the kings of this competition, winning it a record 15 times, including last time in 2011 in their fiercest rival Argentina's back yard - beating them along the way. That record is frankly staggering when you consider that Uruguay is by far the smallest of the CONMEBOL nations, with barely 1% of the population of Brazil and Argentina. Argentina are one behind with 14 titles and Brazil have a relatively paltry eight. The other nations are all on either 2 or 1 or 0. What are the rivalries (aside from the obvious Brazil-Arge)?Uruguay and Argentina are basically the same thing - so of course they hate each other in a sort of Scotland-England way, but with more competition. Brazil-Colombia is considered a major "clasico", Colombia having been a very good team in the past and sharing a volatile jungle border with Brazil. There's animosity between Paraguay and Uruguay, mostly because they have similar names. There are political things going on between Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina... Overall, being such a small federation, these teams all know each other pretty well so there's a bit of needle in most match-ups. What happened last time?The 2011 tournament was very unusual. In every quarter-final the underdog won, meaning the semi-finalists were Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela - the first time ever that neither Argentina nor Brazil reached the semis. Also Paraguay incredibly got to the final by scoring a grand total of zero goals in knockout games, and without winning a single game outright in the whole competition - I'm assuming that's the only time that's ever happened in a major tournament. Groups & hopesGroup AChile - optimistic of claiming their first title at home with something of a golden generation of players Mexico (invited) - normally send an under-strength/young team, unlikely to be troubling the later stages Ecuador - fairly ordinary side, likely exit at quarters Bolivia - perennial also-rans Group BArgentina - clear favourites, will be stung from Uruguay going ahead in titles last time and gunning to pull back level, although surprisingly haven't won it for over 20 years Uruguay - will struggle without Suárez, who is banned, although you can never write them off in this competition Paraguay - did some fucking witchcraft to get to the final last time but their average squad may struggle to get out of the group Jamaica (invited) - here to make up the numbers Group CBrazil - hungry to win after WC humiliation, and won't be shipping 7 goals under Dunga. Wouldn't bet against them Colombia - good team, good manager, brilliant focal point in James Rodriguez. Up there with the favourites Peru - honestly I don't really know and couldn't be arsed to find out. Had good teams in the 70s Venezuela - a baseball nation, they spent years as whipping boys in the nogger, but the 2011 appearance in the semis showed they now have a respectable team Times/broadcastingMost games will start at 20.00, 22.30 or 00.30 in the UK. I'm led to believe you can watch it on Premier Sports and Xbox Live, whatever that is. Alternatively I'm sure streams won't be hard to come by. First game - Chile vs Ecuador - tonight at 00.30. I've adopted Univ de chile in your honor on Fifa 15 for my manager career. I remembered your avatar somehow. That Benjamin Vidal CB on their squad is good, as is Benegas! For that I'll root for Chile in the cup.
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 12, 2015 12:54:14 GMT
Good lad!
Next game up is Mexico-Bolivia at 00.30 UK tonight, then at the weekend we get into the nitty gritty with Brazil, Uruguay and Arge all in action.
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Post by stokemanusa on Jun 12, 2015 22:01:24 GMT
I'll be watching. I'm rooting for Bolivia... I mean... come on it's Bolivia! lol
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jun 12, 2015 22:14:13 GMT
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Post by mailman44 on Jun 12, 2015 23:11:09 GMT
Why is it I find Mexico vs Bolivia so intriguing? Should be interesting tonight.
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Post by PotterLog on Jun 14, 2015 2:05:02 GMT
Mildy interesting story from the Argentina-Paraguay game today. Paraguay came back from 2-0 down to draw, and Lucas Barrios, who is Argentinian - only opting to play for Paraguay (through his mother) at the age of 25 having failed to win caps for Argentina - scored the equaliser in the final minute.
Uruguay also got a harder-than-expected 1-0 win against Jamaica.
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