Copa America 2020 Finals SeriesA Chapter by Steve Clark The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020. Please note this article's format is altered due to the article being entered into a writing competition. The Global Futbol Copa América 2020 Group Stage brought about a range of surprise results. See below for a recap on each group. Group A2018 Global Futbol World Cup winner Colombia, also the co-hosts of this tournament, finished bottom of the group, largely thanks to their 6-1 loss to Mexico in their second match. Guatemala overcame an early 3-0 loss to win against Peru and Mexico to ensure first place in the group. Mexico managed to finish second, though they played under par for two of the matches.
Group BParaguay started their campaign off on the right note with a 3-0 drubbing of Jamaica, before dispatching the Brazilians. USA managed to draw against Brazil, as well as Jamaica, before defeating already-qualified Paraguay. Even though Brazil slaughtered Jamaica 7-1 on the final Match Day, the Americans booked a match in the Quarter Finals against Guatemala, while Paraguay gained top spot and a battle against Mexico.
Group CGroup C was a little more run-of-the-mill, with Chile and co-hosts Argentina progressing. It started off with Bermuda drawing against Chile and Argentina dispatching of Venezuela 3-1. The Argentinians and Chileans then won their second games, and both final matches ended in draws, allowing those two sides to advance.
Group DUruguay was the only team in the group stages to win all three matches, easing past Honduras, Costa Rica and Ecuador. Ecuador managed to progress with them after a scoreless draw against Costa Rica and a win over Honduras, with a berth in the Quarter Finals against Argentina, while Uruguay sought to continue their winning ways against Chile.
Copa América Quarter Final MatchesCo-Host Defeats Ecuador Via Pereyra WinnerJuly 3, 2020 Argentina 2 Ecuador 1 Roberto Pereyra provided the winner for Copa América 2020 co-hosts Argentina in their Quarter Final match against Ecuador as they came from a goal down to progress to the Semi Finals.
Argentina and Ecuador made no changes to their starting eleven, though the latter should have done so, looking vulnerable early in defence. However, they were able to get the first shot on target via Enner Valencia. Alan Franco tried with his head from the resulting corner, only to miss over the crossbar.
In the thirteenth minute, though, Valencia scored on the second attempt after Argentina’s Franco Armani saved the first attempt with his left foot. Valencia, still ahead of the defenders after first beating them to the initial through ball, reached the ball again first and nailed the ball into the open net. The home crowd were stunned, with the pockets of Ecuadorians revelling in the early and crucial lead.
Argentina, in their attempt to wrestle a goal, managed their first shot after poor defending, again, by Ecuador. Quick ball movement ended with Giovani Lo Celso taking a rapid shot, only to hit the outside of the net.
Ecuador had the better of possession, but it was Argentina with more threats in attack. A cross from the left wing needed a Hernan Galíndez punch, as it was either heading in the goal or towards an Argentinian head.
Ecuador attacked just after the half hour mark, only to have Gonzalo Plata fire too hard and too wide, perhaps as he needed to work around the tight angle. Plata earned a yellow card minutes before the break, as Argentina frustrated him down their right wing with their deft touches.
Three minutes after the break, Lautaro Martínez snatched the ball off an unawares defender. Before anyone had time to react, he punted the ball into the back of the net before Galíndez could even run out and reach him.
With the match level, Lionel Messi came into the fray, hitting a half-volley wide of the mark after right back Juan Foyth crossed the ball from the right wing.
Ángel Di María and Sergio Agüero came off the bench and had an immediate influence on the game. With twenty minutes remaining, Messi had a header fly straight to Galíndez, as he had to backtrack to get any purchase on the left-wing cross.
Instead, five minutes later, Player of the Match Pereyra received the ball near the 18-yard box. He turned quickly and shot with enough power to beat Galíndez and send the home crowd wild with delight.
Di María tried from a similar range four minutes later, only for the shot to roll across the pitch and out of play. Still, Argentina felt they had the match in the bag. Agüero and Martínez had shots late halted as they connected with the ball, and that pressure was enough to keep the ball down the right end for the Argentinians before the final whistle sounded and the hosts came from behind to reach the Semi Finals.
Ecuador now peer forward to the Inter-Nations League home matches before the next instalment of the Americas Nations League.
The Argentinian coach is likely to give Guido Rodriquez a rest in favour of Di María.
Guatemala Force Americans to Penalties and Make SemisJuly 3, 2020 Guatemala 2 USA 2 (4-2 on penalties) Substitute Luis Martínez scored late in the second Copa América 2020 Quarter Final to take their match against the USA into extra time, before charging home in penalties.
Guatemala and the Americans started their original starting eleven as they had in their opening matches in the hope of probing for weaknesses in each other’s tactics.
Timothy Weah nearly opened the scoring for the US, running onto a through ball that needed a rushed goalkeeper in Ricardo Jérez to save the day.
Jorge Vargas had a chance to score when Guatemala showed why they qualified for the 2018 World Cup with passes exemplary of tika taka football, only to be fouled. His free kick, though, ended up safe in the hands of Matthew Turner.
Stheven Robles had a ping for Guatemala from a tight angle in the seventeenth minute; again, Turner was up to the task. He also thwarted Jose Martínez in his attempt from the other side of the box.
Instead, down the other end, the USA scored a goal through a countering move. Weah volleyed for goal when he was open, ably crossed in by Joshua Sargent.
Guatemala looked vulnerable with the high passes over the defensive line, though they still managed chances themselves. Edi Guerra got his header on a ball that sailed out of play, after Vargas’ free kick from the right wing.
Sargent nearly scored at the commencement of the second half, needing a choice Jérez save. Weah also almost scored a second, only to hit the ball to the right of goal.
Guatemala countered and in the 53rd minute, Guerra had the equaliser. Poor American defence saw Alejandro Galindo work around the defence and cross to the volley of Guerra, tucking the ball to the left side of the goal.
The Americans needed the lead again and fought for it, with Sargent’s header hitting the crossbar after the ball crossed in from Tyler Adams’ foot.
Adams then won the ball in the 75th minute along the left wing and crossed to Weah, whose header needed that choice Jérez save. Jérez then halted Weah’s chip shot after he was found alone by Christian Pulisic.
Ricardo Pepi came off the bench for Weah and had an early shot, only to miss by miles. Pepi then missed to the left off a corner, but the area was rather crowded, making it difficult to get the header on target.
The Americans wrestled in defence to keep Guatemala away from goals right at the death, before countering down the left wing. Left back Antonee Robinson placed the perfect cross to Pepi, who drove the header through Jérez and into the back of the net, sending the Americans into what they thought was the Semi Finals.
However, Guatemala had other ideas, and additional time goal came about via substitute Luis Martínez. He also strode into the box, like Pepi, and powered home a header that no goalkeeper could stop.
With the match 2-2, and with Pulisic taken off, this match was anyone’s. however, it took until late in the second half of extra time before any side looked like scoring. Walker Zimmerman had his scissor kick deflected out for a second corner. His follow-up shot from the next corner only managed to reach Jérez with ease.
Penalties would only separate the two sides. Luis Martínez, the late equaliser, scored the opening penalty for Guatemala. Jérez saved the first American shot. Jorge Vargas made it 2-0, before Sergino Dest gave the US a relieving pocket goal. Marvin Ceballos kept Guatemala’s two-goal lead, with Adams keeping his side in the contest. Jairo Arreola then made it 4-2, and USA’s best player during the 120 minutes, Weston McKennie, hit the crossbar and the ball bounced away to the same rhythm as the leaps of joy of the Guatemalan players.
Guatemala advances through to the Semi Finals, and USA will rue their chances in both open play and during penalties.
Six-Goal Uruguayan Romp Over Chile to Reach Semi FinalsJuly 4, 2020 Uruguay 6 Chile 2 Uruguay scored six goals in their Copa América Quarter Final against Chile to advance to the final four.
Both sides entered the clash unchanged, with the Uruguayans hoping to continue their winning streak in the tournament, the only side to win all three matches in the group stages.
Uruguay had the early play of the match, only for Chile to counter in the twelfth minute and Eduardo Vargas to have a ping on goal when he was found alone against the goalkeeper with a choice through ball. His shot, however, missed the mark by miles.
Six minutes later, Luis Suárez played a brilliant one-two pass to become one-on-one with the Chilean goalkeeper, only for Claudio Bravo to get enough of his body on the attempted chip shot.
Alexis Sánchez instead opened the tale for Chile as they countered, with passes too quick for the Uruguayan defence to respond. Sánchez rode his run between two defenders and powered into the back of the net before Fernando Muslera could dive and halt it.
With the lead, Chile was caught off guard as Edinson Cavani played a similar style to Suárez, with a carbon copy of the chip shot, and again, Bravo making the parrying save.
Uruguay attacked down the right wing, with Suárez providing the important cross in the 25th minute. Nahitan Nández headed for goal, hitting the right-hand post. However, the ball was about to cross the line, and as Bravo dived to save it, he instead knocked the ball over the line.
The match, all square, meant both sides were in with a real shot at winning the match. Bravo made another error diving to save Rodrigo Bentancur’s shot, who, despite shooting from a tight angle after receiving the ball from Cavani, still managed to find the gap between Bravo and the post.
Minutes later, Nández made the perfect cross to Cavani, who rose above his marking man and nailed Uruguay’s third goal.
Uruguay did not stop there. Suárez nearly headed home a Federico Valverde cross, also from the right flank, only for the talisman to miss to the left of goal.
Sánchez was the first to shoot after the break, only from the corner of the 18-yard box and with not enough power. Chile had the better play of the second half, but Cavani scored his second goal after Suárez was found free down the right flank, and he passed sideways to Valverde. Bravo saved the Valverde right-foot shot, only for Cavani to pick up the pieces and slot into the open goal.
Chile tried to up their passing game, and it resulted in a Charles Aránguiz shot, like Sánchez’s previous attempt.
Down the Uruguayan end, Bentancur nearly had his second as he weaved around the Chilean defence, only for his left footer to miss the goals.
Arturo Vidal tried a one-two pass out wide, leading to a slow shot on goal. However, it was the Sánchez and Vargas combination that brought about Chile’s second goal, with the former finding weakness in Uruguay’s left back position and crossing to Vargas, who had a free header into the back of the net.
Chilean substitute Guillermo Maripán nearly scored from the restart, shooting from near where Sánchez shot earlier after a chipped through ball found him alone. Vidal followed up the Muslera parry, only his chest control was not good enough, and Uruguay halted that third goal.
Cavani instead scored his third goal after a few fifty-fifty balls in the box fell the way of the Uruguayans, and Cavani shot so hard with his right boot that Bravo had no opportunity to save it.
Player of the Match Cavani then converted the penalty through Bravo’s legs after Suárez was brought down by a rough challenge in the box.
In the end, 6-2 was the result, and Chile hung their head in shame with such a poor performance. Uruguay, meanwhile, will gain real confidence they can defeat any team in the tournament.
Paraguay Comeback Earns Place in SemisJuly 4, 2020 Mexico 1 Paraguay 3 Paraguay became the final nation in the Copa América 2020 Semi Finals after a come-from-behind defeat of Mexico.
The two nations went in with the same starting eleven as the opening match of the tournament.
Both sides looked dangerous early, but it was Paraguay with the first shot, where Carlos González hit the left-hand post with his header off a cross.
In the 27th minute, Ángel Romero fired for goal, only to have it saved by Alfredo Talavera.
However, as the break neared, and neither side looked like gaining the upper hand, Jesús Manuel Corona stepped up for Mexico. He ran onto a through ball from Player of the Match Jonathan Dos Santos, and as it bounced up, headed it around Antony Silva, opening the scoring.
However, a minute later, Paraguay equalised. Mathias Villasanti combined with Miguel Almirón in a brilliant one-two pass, and the former could do nothing but score from close range and right in front of goal.
After the break, Almirón pounced on a poor Mexican mistake and had a ping, only for Talavera to make the save. From the corner, the ball fell to Almirón, and he turned and got enough purchase on the ball for it to trickle over the line, and Paraguay had the lead.
Mexico tried doing what Paraguay had done to them and score from the restart, with Silva saving twice the shots of Orbelin Pineda and Jose Macías.
Time seemed to rush through the second half as neither side could get a grip in attack. Then, in the 75th minute, Mexico countered off a corner, and Macías had a chance to level the match, only to miss to the right of goal.
Luis Rodríguez had a shot with eleven minutes to go, only to shoot across the face of goal.
Mexico fought in vain for the equaliser, but it was Paraguay who scored late, with Gaston Giménez running through the middle of the park. His shot hit the crossbar, but then substitute Gabriel Ávalos reached the clearing header first and popped it into the corner of the goal.
Mexico did not hang their head in shame and had three more shots, only for offsides to take control of their attacks. Raúl Jiménez had the first and third shots, with the latter a header that should have hit the back of the net, but did not.
That was the last play of the day, and Mexico bowed out as Paraguay won 3-1, and will take on Uruguay in the Semi Finals.
Copa América Semi Final MatchesArgentina Earn Place in Final with Four-Goal Masterclass Over GuatemalaJuly 7, 2020 Guatemala 0 Argentina 4 Copa América co-hosts Argentina scored four goals against a hapless Guatemala to progress to the Final.
Argentina made two swaps off the bench from their previous match, while Guatemala remained unchanged.
The hosts looked on fire early with Lionel Messi and Giovani Lo Celso bringing about saves by Ricardo Jérez. However, he could only watch as Messi headed home the corner against the inside of the post and into the back of the net.
In the eighteenth minute, Ángel Di María crossed into Lautaro Martínez, whose loopy shot hit the top of the crossbar not once, but twice, and gave Jérez a little fright.
Two minutes later, Di María led onto a through ball. As he entered the box, he shot before Jérez could reach him, curling the ball into the goal.
Argentina, leading by two goals, nearly gave away a goal as Guatemala earned a free kick in an ideal position. Jorge Vargas took the kick, hitting the crossbar. The ball bounced back, and Wilson Pineda reached it first, only for his diving header to be easy pickings for Franco Armani.
Messi countered and in the next two passages of play nearly scored, only for the Guatemalan defence and goalkeeper to get in the way both times.
Jose Martínez earned a yellow card for a rough challenge, but that did little to deter Argentina as Lautaro Martínez ran onto a through ball in the next passage of play and his low shot was unstoppable.
The striker tried again with another through ball to his lead in additional time, only this time he went for height and sprayed the ball over the crossbar.
Lautaro Martínez continued the pressure in the second half, shooting across the face of goal early. From the corner, Di María rose without an opponent and nailed Argentina’s fourth goal.
Vargas earned a yellow card for Guatemala as they found the match difficult, having played their best match against the USA in the Quarter Finals.
4-0 the victory for Argentina, earning the right to take on a hot Uruguay or Paraguay in the Final.
Uruguay to Face Argentina after Easy Dispatching of ParaguayJuly 8, 2020 Paraguay 0 Uruguay 2 Edinson Cavani’s brace set about Uruguay’s showdown against co-hosts Argentina after a straightforward defeat of Paraguay.
Uruguay made one change at right back, while Paraguay made a change up front, as well as at left back.
Mathias Villasanti had two early shots for Paraguay, with the first needing a diving save by Fernando Muslera, and the second blocked by sliding defenders.
Late challenges for Villasanti and Ángel Cardozo Lucena meant two yellow cards for them both, and put the midfielders on the back foot early as a second booking for either would assure defeat.
From a free kick from one of the challenges, Cavani continued his merry goalscoring as he had in the Quarter Final, shooting hard enough for the ball to overcome the best efforts of Antony Silva in goals.
A third midfielder received a yellow card in Miguel Almirón and set the Paraguayans back even further. This led to a corner, and Uruguay did enough to keep the ball down their attacking end. A cross from the left wing found Cavani, and he soon had a brace as his header went across the face of goal and into the back of the net.
Cavani then set up Luis Suárez, only for the talisman to hit the woodwork and the ball bounce back to Silva.
Down the Paraguayan end, �"scar Romero and Gabriel Ávalos combined to give the former a low shot at goal, though it was too easy for Muslera. Lucena shot from outside the box, and Muslera again dived to save the ball before it trickled out for a goal kick off the multiple Paraguayans chasing down the rebound.
Uruguay kept advancing down the field through the middle, knowing the three central midfielders were on yellow cards and played in a tentative manner. This continued across the second half, though Paraguay had removed one of those yellow carded players to the bench. Uruguay then switched to working the wings, which opened the game up for both sides, and Paraguay had a shot late in the 85th minute from Almirón.
That was it as Uruguay played for possession, ensuring the Cavani brace was the difference between the two sides. Uruguay’s defence managed to tackle at the perfect moments to wrestle the ball back from any Paraguayan advances, and allowed the Uruguayans to reach the Copa América Final.
Copa América FinalUruguay Overcome Argentina to be Crowned Copa América 2020 ChampionsJuly 12, 2020 Argentina 1 Uruguay 3 Uruguay went through Copa América 2020 undefeated as they overcame Argentina 3-1 with an impeccable first half in the Final.
Uruguay’s Rodrigo Bentancur was placed on the bench due to an injury, while Matias Vecino returned to right back. José Giménez was tasked to stick close with Lionel Messi. Argentina only made the one change in bringing on Marcos Acuña, a risky move in changing the back four with Walter Kannemann not tried and tested until this match.
Uruguay took complete control of the match early and soon had the lead via Luís Suárez after Nahitan Nández pushed the ball beyond the Argentinian defence, and the talisman made no mistake.
Edinson Cavani then scored in the tenth minute after he headed home the cross from Giorgian De Arrascaeta.
Two goals down, Argentina needed to wrestle some form of momentum. Leandro Paredes combined with Lautaro Martínez to give the former a shot, though it was too weak to affect Fernando Muslera.
In the 24th minute, Suárez had his second goal as he ran into free space, while the Argentinian defence cried for offside. His power was too strong for Franco Armani, and Uruguay had a three-goal lead.
Ángel Di María had a crack for Argentina’s first, only to have Muslera save his two shots. However, Muslera had no hope against Paredes as he headed uncontested off a corner and gave the hosts some semblance of a victory.
Paredes then set up Martínez for a shot, only for it to fire straight at Muslera.
In the second half, De Arrascaeta twice came closest for Uruguay as the match evened up. Suárez had a half-chance miss the goals, but Uruguay made sure the ball stayed away from their own goal.
Substitute Nicolás Lodeiro had a ping blocked, while Player of the Match De Arrascaeta had a third shot from long range.
Paredes searched for his second, having his shot from on the edge of the box blocked. In the end, though, Uruguay came away victors with the 3-1 scoreline.
Argentina will need to brush off the loss and will look for some retribution when they tackle Uruguay again in the Nations League. Only Martínez and Paredes played well for Argentina as it was clear a long tournament got the better of the hosts. Meanwhile, aside from Federico Valverde, all the Uruguayans played their part and showed why they are a formidable side, with the World Cup just two and a half years away.
In the Third Place Playoff against Guatemala, Carlos González scored in the eleventh minute for Paraguay, while an early substituted defender in Adrian Cubas, deemed Player of the Match, managed to score in the 37th minute. Mathias Villasanti then made it three goals in the 68th minute, earning his side the 2020 Copa América bronze medal.
Summary of Matches June-July 2020
© 2024 Steve Clark |
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Added on October 30, 2024 Last Updated on October 30, 2024 Author
Steve ClarkAdelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAboutA free spirited educator who dabbles in the art of writing novels and articles. more..Writing
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