The final round of group matches at the 2011 Copa América is well underway, with Colombia leading Bolivia 2-0 as I type. Last night, after Venezuela's win over Ecuador which took the vinotinto to the top of Group B, I wrote this for ESPNSoccernet, looking back over the second round of group matches and forward... Continue Reading →
Copa América 2011: Venezuela go top of Brazil’s group
Saturday's results in the 2011 Copa América saw two thrilling matches which finished with Venezuela topping Group B with one match remaining of the first round. Brazil got a late equaliser against Paraguay to claim a scarcely-deserved 2-2 draw after they'd been comfortably outplayed for the whole of the second half. Venezuela's match against Ecuador... Continue Reading →
Copa América 2011: Argentina splutter to another draw
Argentina's second performance in the 2011 Copa América they are hosting had to be better than the first, or people were going to start getting angry. Well, people are starting to get angry. Argentina were a side without imagination or thrust up front, and looked desperate at times in defence, where goalkeeper Sergio Romero saved... Continue Reading →
Tuesday is a day off after the opening round of games in the 2011 Copa América have seen everyone play once. You can find my thoughts on the tournament, of course, over on ESPNSoccernet, where I discuss how remarkably closely-fought the whole thing has been so far. Meanwhile on BT Life's A Pitch, aimed primarily... Continue Reading →
Copa América 2011: Group B kicks off with a flurry of goa… oh.
Following Argentina's draw with Bolivia and Colombia's win over Costa Rica, Group B of the 2011 Copa América began on Sunday, with two 0-0 draws. Venezuela did a superb job to hold Brazil in a match that interesting rather than exciting, with Ganso superbly marked throughout by the excellent Tomás Rincón and Franklin Lucena, and... Continue Reading →
As all readers will surely be aware, tonight at 21:45 Argentine time Bolivia will play the 700th international match in their history. Of arguably just as much importance, they'll be taking on the hosts, Argentina, in the opening match of the 43rd edition of football's oldest international tournament, the Copa América. I won't be at... Continue Reading →
In a special edition of Hand Of Pod, Sam and the Dans are joined by Ralph Hannah, an English expert on Paraguayan football who was kind enough to drop in on us when visiting Buenos Aires with his wife for the weekend from Asunción. We discuss Paraguay's chances in the forthcoming Copa América, who the... Continue Reading →
Copa América 2011: the groups are drawn
After a mind-numbingly drawn out ceremony, the groups for the 2011 Copa América, to be held in Argentina from the 1st July (the new date having been decided on earlier today), have been decided. Argentina have three grudge matches: Japan, the guests, who beat them 1-0 in a friendly in Tokyo last month; Colombia, who... Continue Reading →
Hasta El Gol Siempre 