Aboutaball :: About World Football

Football News, Articles, Statistics, Links and more…

Team by Team Review of the Copa America 2007

We said ‘adios’ to Bolivia at the group stage but they have reason to be optimistic about their future. New coach Erwin Sanchez has formed a good team that just let itself down at key moments, particularly in defence. They performed with credit and under great pressure in their opening match against the hosts who were roared on by vociferous backing despite going behind twice. Their inability to kill of Peru in the final game with their opponents down to 10 men was the deciding factor in not going through. Guablerto Mojica in midfield caught the eye particularly with his willingness to support the attack and get involved. Juan Carlos Arce currently on loan with Corinthians also showed himself to be an excellent striker with waspish pace and an eye for goal. With 2 points to show for their endeavours the Bolivians will be left to wonder what might have been if they had been a little more compact in defence.

It was the Ecuadorians who went home early in Group B despite being tipped by some (including me!) to shine at the tournament - one feels they never quite recovered from the loss against Chile on the opening day, in what was arguably the most exciting game of the tournament so far. Ecuador who took a strong side to the finals played some neat and attractive football at times putting Brazil under some pressure in the final game. However, failing to get a result against Chile was always going to be put them in a difficult position having to get something against Mexico and Brazil. Like the Bolivians their defensive fragility and lack of cutting edge cost them ultimately and their poor Copa America form persists. How much will this failure set Ecuador back, if at all, remains to be seen?

Neither the USA nor Colombia had any realistic hope of making it through to the knock out stage after suffering heavy defeats in the first matches. Knowing that only a win plus a draw would see them get 4 points the total required to put Uruguay and Chile under any pressure both teams looked a little jaded in their remaining games.

The USA despite being the only team not to score at least a point faired marginally better than Colombia in truth. They played well for large parts against Argentina and Eddie Johnson up front looks like a decent prospect. They were also unlucky to loose 3-1 to Paraguay a late goal from Cabanas allowing the Paraguayans to finish with a flourish and end any US hope of a fight back plus a couple of glaring misses in front of goal didn’t help. Bob Bradley was already impaired by the fact that the MLS teams weren’t obliged to release their players as this wasn’t an official tournament for the States. However, the reserve team showed some bright prospects, Jay Demeritt from Watford showed he has Premiership potential; will he still be plying his trade at Vicarage Road next season? Sascha Klejstan and Jonathan Bornstein also proved that their long term future should be in Europe. In that respect the tournament was a success for the States.

Colombia, on the other hand, will be returning from the tournament with their tails firmly between their legs. Their no show against Paraguay proved costly as their opponents helped themselves to 5 goals, which seriously impaired their goal difference and hampered their chances of making it into the knock out stage by virtue of being one of the 2 best 3rd placed teams. Despite acknowledging the tournament as being a chance to rebuild for the upcoming qualifiers for 2010 their defence had a solid and experienced look about it. However, it was this department that suffered the most; Mario Yepes should clearly not have been risked so soon after returning form injury. He was exposed countless times by Roque Santa Cruz, who scored more goals in the 90 minutes he was on the pitch for than in the entire Bundesliga season! Colombia got their attack going in the 2nd game but Argentina were in no mood to be charitable and the Colombians lost another 4 goals. Redemption against the US was never going to be on the cards given the poor tournament their opponents had just endured. The only player to really come out of the tournament with any credit is David Ferreira currently playing in Brazil. Jorge Luis Pinto, the manager, will have his work cut out to rebuild the shattered morale in time of the forthcoming qualifiers for 2010.

Venezuela will be delighted to have avoided the dubious honour of being the first host nation not to make it through to the knock out stage. They will also be pleased to have doubled their number of wins in the Copa America; they now have 2 to their name! In the end their inability to make chances count and turn efforts at goal into goals cost them dear against Uruguay. However, in a baseball mad country the seed of football has no doubt been planted in the mind of their supporters. Taking the game to the provinces resisting the temptation to use a big ready-to-use stadium in the capital Caracas means that they have left a permanent footballing legacy that will last well beyond the memory of the current team.

Chile found themselves on a downward spiral after peaking far too early in a memorable comeback against Ecuador. They will be pleased to have qualified from the toughest group in the tournament although playing Mexico who had already qualified and knowing that a draw would secure them top place was also to Chileans advantage. The loss of Mati Fernandez to injury during their tournament was an obvious blow that Acosta failed to overcome. Valdivia and Gonzalez both failed to shine in his absence meaning that the attackers were often left to make their own chances. Lorca and Navia up front both scored some marvellous goals, and the latter could well be making a move away from Chilean football in the near future.

Peru like Chile never quite recaptured the heights of their opening match when they humbled Uruguay 3-0. The loss of Jefferson Farfan before the quarter final was a huge loss and although they held out bravely against Argentina once the first goal went in just after half-time the flood gates opened and the Argentines cashed in. The team integrated the re-arrival of Claudio Pizarro well and he responded scoring two vital goals against Bolivia in their final group game. Farfan, when not hampered by injury, showed he is also ready for a move to the bigger stage after three excellent seasons with PSV.

Paraguay’s tournament had a strange reflection about it � after starting with a thrashing of Colombia they themselves were hammered by Mexico to confirm their exit 6-0 in the quarter finals. Two good wins in the group stages, or be it against a depleted USA and a struggling Colombia will not take away the sour taste in the mouth that their poor showing against Mexico left. Handicapped by a sending off as early as the 2nd minute of goalkeeper Villar they never looked like responding. Paraguay’s strikers came out the best of the tournament, particularly Cabanas, who was for me the 2nd best locally based player of the whole tournament and also Roque Santa Cruz. Playing for his future after being released by Bayern in the summer he won’t be short of an offer or two when he comes back from holiday.

Uruguay recovered after a terrible start to their tournament to give Brazil a real fright in the semi finals. In fact they were unlucky not to be able to take more from the game � their strong squad underlined their intentions to do well in the tournament and a semi final represents a job well done for Oscar Washington Tabarez. Forlan once again showed he is the main man for the team and scored some excellent goals once he got his transfer to Atletico Madrid sorted out. The country will be hoping that the momentum gained from the improved performances as the tournament wore on can be carried on into World Cup qualifying.

Mexico had a strange tournament at times playing some excellent football but also at times failing to make much of an impression. In fact their most eye catching result against Brazil was one of their poorer performances when in truth the performance for Ochoa in goal was the only thing that stood between Brazil and a landslide of goals! Also their semi final performance was one of the better matches and had they been able to hold on until half-time they may have been able to shackle Argentina. Winning the 3rd place play-off is scant consolation but with a team drawn largely from domestic players it shows the strength in depth available to Hugo Sanchez.

Argentina will be totally gutted to have lost out in the final. With the stated intention of winning the tournament outright they were on course until they meet Brazil in the final. Their inability to break down the stubborn Brazilian defence was the only, albeit major blight, on their tournament. Despite not being able to bring home the trophy and continue a winless streak that stretches back to 1993 the AFA should keep the faith. The squad played the best football of the tournament, the steady integration of some major talents such as Messi will continue gradually. Make no mistake, Argentina despite this loss remain on course for South Africa 2010.

It was Brazil but not as we know it! After stumbling into the final after some shambolic early performances they shocked the footballing world by beating Argentina 3-0. The margin of victory may not be as comfortable as the score line suggests but their possession and work-rate made the difference as Argentina couldn’t find a way through. Whether winning the trophy will be enough to save Dunga’s job is open to debate, the need to play ‘La Joga Bonita’, a slogan Nike loves to perpetuate(with some degree of accuracy it must be said), is sometimes greater than the need to win. Their win in the Copa America makes up for the worst ever performance turned in by a Brazil side in the World U-20 championships after they were knocked out by Spain in the round of 16 managing only 1 win in the process. However, the team despite this achievement will not go down in history as one of the greats. Hopefully with the trophy secured Dunga can now concentrate on adding a degree of flair to the team before the World Cup in three years time.

Posted by Walter Townsend on Tuesday, 17th July 2007

(Average rating 0 from 0 votes. Vote)
(0 Comments)

Want to write about Football? At About a ball we're always looking out for football writiers from every corner of the World, if you think you can write interesting original articles please contact:
editor @ aboutaball . co . uk (no spaces).

We look forward to hearing from you.

Other News Stories:

African Cup of Nations, Site News, World -

The African Cup of Nations is back on Aboutaball - your Number One source for news and views from Africa's premier competition

British -

Vieira over the hill?

African Cup of Nations, World -

Nigerian fans risk Nations Cup blackout

African Cup of Nations, Previews, Profiles, World -

African Cup of Nations 2010: Tunisia Team Guide

African Cup of Nations, Previews, Profiles, World -

African Cup of Nations 2010: Zambia Team Guide

African Cup of Nations, Previews, Profiles, World -

African Cup of Nations 2010: Gabon Team Guide

African Cup of Nations, Previews, Profiles, World -