Weekly Roundup, Part 2

With both coming off multi-goal losses, the US and Colombia had nothing to play for, but a medal and for pride. Colombia would end their scoring drought in the 31st when Carlos Bacca got on the end of a cross and scored from a tight angle into the side netting. The US would come close with a Clint Dempsey free kick in the 51st which was punched away by David Ospina, and a shot from Bobby Wood that hit the post. That strike off the woodwork was a minute after Juan Cuadrado's chip for Colombia hit the crossbar. In the dying minutes of injury time, Michael Orozco of the US and Colombia's Santiago Arias were both sent off for a hit to the face and a flop. But the US could not get an equalizer to tie it, and Colombia got 3rd.
                  In the final, both Chile and Colombia had few chances. In the first half, both teams saw a red as Chile's Marcelo Diaz got a second yellow in the 28th, while Argentina's Marcos Rojo got a straight red 15 minutes later. Gonzalo Higuain of Argentina had a golden chance wasted when a Chile pass was broken up by Higuain, but his shot over Chile's Claudio Bravo went just wide of the left post. He also missed a tap-in by his teammate Ezequiel Lavezzi in the last minute of regulation. Argentina out shot Chile Chile 16-4 in regulation and extra time, but the best chance was from Chile in extra-time in the 99th. Alexis Sanchez had a header deserving of a Sergio Romero dive to block the shot, and the Argentinean keeper kick started a chance a minute later that had Sergio Aguero's chance get a tip save from Bravo. In penalties, Arturo Vidal's shot was saved by Romero, but Messi gave up his chance for the lead when his shot went over the bar. Chile converted their next 3 and Argentina kept pace until Higuain's went over the bar. Francisco Silva sealed the trophy for Chile, and frustrated Messi, who has yet to win a senior trophy for his nation, albeit reaching the final 4 times. After the game, Messi declared his international retirement from the game and his country Argentina.

Weekly Roundup, Semi-Finals (Part 1)

And now for the final week report. Last week was started off by the semi-finals, beginning on Tuesday with the US against Argentina. Argentina got a quick lead in the 3rd minute, when Ezequiel Lavezzi got a lovely cross from Lionel Messi, and chipped it over US keeper Brad Guzan. Messi got a goal of his own in the 32nd, curling a free kick just inside Guzan's left post, which gave Messi the current leader for most goals by an Argentinean player in his career. Gonzalo Higuain scored the last 2 goals for Argentina to put the icing on the cake by putting the ball past the line in the 50th and 86th minutes, via a tap-in and strike. The US, considered huge underdogs, had not a single shot on net.
                  The following day's game was Chile vs. Colombia. In a rain-soaked atmosphere in Chicago, it gave both teams a neutral playing field. Chile would jump off to a comfortable lead just 11 minutes in, scoring in the 7th when Charles Aranguiz volleyed home a strike past keeper David Ospina after Colombia failed to clear it away. Chile would make it 2-0 in the 11th when Alexis Sanchez' s shot hit right post before Jose Fuenzalida tapped it home. Colombia would have more frustations due to the wet turf and a second yellow given Carlos Sanchez in the 57th. Colombia failed to get any clean shots on target. 

Predictions for Final and 3rd Place

Although I have not done my semi final recaps (I'll have a final week roundup soon coming after the final), here are my predictions for the last 2 games.

Who: Colombia vs. USA

When: Saturday, June 25 @ 8 PM ET

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Watch: FX, Univision, UDN (TV); Fox Soccer 2Go, UDN App (Streaming)

Prediction: 2-0 Colombia: Once again Colombia will beat the US by 2 and also shut the US out. Even with the current run of wins, excluding Argentina vs. US, the US struggle against the best and Colombia will get 3rd place.

Who: Chile vs. Argentina 

When: Sunday, June 26 @ 8 PM ET

Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Watch: FS1, Univision (TV); Fox Soccer 2Go, Fox Sports Go, UDN App (Streaming)

Prediction: 2-1 Argentina (AET): Another rematch, the same result. Like the how the US started against Colombia losing 2-0, Chile will lose on their rematch (both of last year's Copa America title and the opening game this Copa America) to Argentina. This will be the closest game for both teams, as both teams experienced routs on their way to the final. Lionel Messi will assist or score the GW goal. 

Prediction for Semi-Final #2

Who: Chile vs. Colombia
When: Wednesday, June 22 @ 8 PM ET
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Watch: FS1, Univision, (TV); FOX Sports Go, UDN App (Streaming)
How Chile Got Here: 1-2 L, 2-1 W, 4-2 W, 7-0 W
Started off by losing to Argentina before needing a penalty to beat Bolivia. Easily beat Panama and then routed Mexico. After the rout, Chile looks like a team ready to repeat as Copa America championship.
How Colombia Got Here: 2-0 W, 2-1 W, 2-3 L, 0-0 (4-2 PK) W
Handily got past the US, needed a wonderful stroke from Paraguay to make it close, then followed it up choking its first place position by losing to Costa Rica. Won in penalties over pesky Peru, this team can pull off the slight upset.
Prediction: 1-1 (4-3 in PK) Chile: This game will be much closer than the USA-Argentina game and will feature great defending, offense, and goalkeeping. Arturo Vidal will score in PKs and the goal in the 90 minutes for Chile, and will deliver his squad to the final for a rematch with Argentina.

Prediction for Semifinal #1

Who: USA vs. Argentina
When: Tuesday, June 21 @ 9 PM ET
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Watch: FS1, Univision (TV); Fox Sports Go, Fox Soccer 2Go, UDN App (Streaming)
How the US Got Here: 0-2 L, 4-0 W, 1-0 W, 2-1 W
Lost to Colombia in the opener before routing Costa Rica and narrowly beating Paraguay and Ecuador. The US have made expectations but will be missing some star players due to cards. They do have a ton of depth, though.

How Argentina Got Here: 2-1 W, 5-0 W, 3-0 W, 4-1 W
Easily beat all their opponents, Chile, Panama, Bolivia, and Venezuela, and look to be the clear favorite to win the tournament. Lionel Messi or not, this team is for real and is scary good.
Prediction: 2-0 Argentina: Argentina is too good to lose to a North American team. Sure, the US have met expectations and even surprised many, and Mexico had a 22 game unbeaten streak, but Argentina has more depth, more talent, and Lionel Messi. They will win, but the deficit will be closer than you expect.

Recaps: Routs Push Argentina and Chile Through

Two of the most hyped games of this tournament so far came to be two of the biggest routs of this tournament. In the first game, Argentina vs. Venezuela, Lionel Messi started his first game of the tournament and had a chance at goal when his chip from outside the box landed in the arms of Venezuela's keeper Daniel Hernandez. 2 minutes later, Messi's shot just went wide of the far post. In the 8th minute, Messi assisted on a goal after a beautiful cross was laid to Gonzalo Higuain, who tapped it past Hernandez. Messi thought he was fouled later in the 22nd when Arquimedes Figuera tripped him up, but there was no call. Higuain got another goal in the 28th when he intercepted Figuera's pass, danced around the keeper, and rolled the ball into the net. Venezuela had a couple of chances to make it 2-1, but nothing work. Argentina's Sergio Romero saved Solomon Rondon's blasting shot, and then Rondon's header hit the post. But the worst came in the 44th, when Venezuela had a chance from a penalty kick, Luis Seijas tried to do a slick chip, but Romero didn't have to move to stop the ball. Messi finally scored in the 60th when he got the ball from Nicolas Gaitan, and five-holed it past Hernandez. Rondon got one back when he skimmed a header that hit post and in, but Erik Lamela kept the score deficit at 3 when his slow shot deflected before going under Hernandez's hand. The US are the next to host Argentina.
             
              The other, more hyped game was Chile-Mexico. Mexico had a 22 game unbeaten streak, and Chile are the defending champs. However, the final score signified the exact opposite. Edson Puch scored in the 15th for Chile when Alexis Sanchez found Marcelo Diaz free outside the box. Diaz's shot was well blocked Mexico's keeper Guillermo Ochoa, but Puch was there for the tap in. In the 44th, minutes after  Eduardo Vargas's offside, disallowed goal, Vargas made it 2-0 for Chile when Jean Beausejour crossed the ball in for Vargas to strike in. The worst for Mexico came in the next 15 minutes, when they gave up 3 goals. In the 49th, Sanchez tapped in Arturo Vidal's pass. Vargas scored the next 3 for 4 goals overall in the game, scoring in the 52nd, 57th, and 74th minutes to make it 6-0. Vidal had two open chances, but those went just over the bar. The final score was 7-0, after Puch scored in the 87th to anger the Mexican fans. It was truly a historic night for both teams; for one excitement, and for the other team to forget quickly. Chile plays Colombia Wednesday in the semifinal.

Recap: Colombia Advances Through Penalties

Colombia became the second team to make the quarterfinals, winning 4-2 after a scoreless draw. During the game, Colombia had an early chance when Carlos Bacca had an early run and a chance that went straight to Peru's keeper Pedro Gallese. Peru's best oppurtunity in the first half came when Paulo Guerrero's cross to Edinson Flores was headed over. In the 22nd minute, Colombia's James Rodriguez had a curler just outside the box hit the right post and Bacca's rebound went wide of the other post. Rodriguez had a free kick early in the second half that went straight to Gallese. Bacca also had a chance when his header also went towards Gallese. The best chance from both sides came in the 2nd minute of injury time, when Christian Ramos' header forced Colombian keeper David Ospina to make a jump to prevent the ball to pass the line. In penalties, Rodriguez, Juan Cuadrado, Dayro Moreno, and Sebastian Perez converted their shots for Colombia. But, Peru's Miguel Trauco had his saved by Ospina's foot, and Christian Cueva had his shot go over the bar, sealing the win for the Colombians.