The Copa America, which has gone off the boil in the last three days, reaches the quarter-final stage at the weekend badly needing a new lease of life. The competition began with a glut of goals, 24 being scored in the first six games.
However, the last six matches have produced a measly seven goals, four of them in the 2-2 draw between Peru and Bolivia. Part of the problem appears to lie in the competition's format, which resulted in most teams going into the final group stage matches knowing exactly what they needed to do to qualify.
Favourites Argentina, who face Peru in Barquisimeto on Sunday, are the team who appear most capable of breathing new life into the contest. Alfio Basile's side blasted nine goals on their way to winning all three group games, playing stylish, attacking football in the process.
"It's a tough match. Peru were very good in their first game (a 3-0 win over Uruguay) and I like the way they play," said Basile after Thursday's 1-0 win over Paraguay. Striker Hernan Crespo is recovering from a muscular problem and Diego Milito is likely to parter Lionel Messi in attack instead. Peru will be missing Jefferson Farfan with an ankle injury which has completed an unhappy tournament for the Dutch-based striker.
Farfan has been moved back to midfield to allow Paolo Guerrero and Claudio Pizarro to play together in attack but has had difficulty into adapting to the new role. Argentina's great rivals Brazil have stuttered into the last eight amid fierce criticism of their lacklustre performances and coach Dunga's overcautious tactics.
They face Chile, who qualified as one of the best third-placed teams, in Puerto La Cruz on Saturday, less than one week after beating them 3-0 in the group stage.
Hosts Venezuela take on Uruguay, another of the third-placed sides, in San Cristobal, four days after the teams played out a dire goalless draw in Group A. Venezuela have never previously reached the last eight since entering the tournament in 1967. Uruguay managed only one goal in three group games, but coach Oscar Tabarez is making no apologies.
"We're going to try and play good football, but we want the result so if we beat Venezuela without playing well, I'm not going to cry in my hotel," said Tabarez. Mexico, who beat Brazil on their way to winning Group B, and Paraguay complete the line-up when they meet in Maturin on Sunday. Extra-time is not played at the Copa America and matches will go straight to penalties if the score is level at 90 minutes.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.