With a late Claudio PIZARRO's goal, Peru made it to the Quarter-finals and they will face Group C winner on Sunday.
That means Argentina will need a win (by any margin) against Paraguay on Thursday if we want to stay in Barquisimeto and avoid Mexico (or maybe Brazil, if results go really wrong!).
Venezuela, not only did they placed themselves in the weakest possible group (the 6 teams that played in Germany 2006 and are also taking part of this Copa America, are spread around Groups B and C!). Their match against Uruguay was a fiasco with almost no shots on goals, as both teams were already qualified -Uruguay being quite happy to be placed third and avoid either Argentina or Paraguay-.
Now the hosts are keeping their plan alive. They will face the second-best third-placed team (it'll be probably Chile) and they won't face the likes of Mexico/Brazil (the one who finish first in Group B), Argentina and Paraguay until the final match.
Colombia and the USA will be automatically out of contention barring a sensational goal fest from one of them and a big loss by Chile against Mexico or Brazil against Ecuador.
What about Brazil?
Well, in order to win their group, they will have to beat Ecuador and wait for Chile to do the same with Mexico.
But will they try very hard?
If they qualified as the second team from Group B, they will avoid Argentina, Paraguay and Mexico until the final match. They will go to the top of the draw to face Uruguay in the Quarter-finals, the winner of Venezuela (against most likely Chile) and voilá...they will be again in the final match!
My opinion?
We have to beat Paraguay by all means!
By doing that, we will send them to face Mexico (or Brazil...depending on Tomorrow's results) and play against a considerably weaker Peru.
Hope I'm not confusing you!
Anyway...if you are confused, just ask!
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3 comments:
Another important detail is that we will play the last match of the first round and we will already know how the tournament tree will look all the way to the final.
The way I see it, the format really favors the host. Against 2nd best 3rd place in q-final?
For Argentina, regardless our q-final opponent, they need to raise their defensive game starting with Paraguay. Get the momentum going...
They played A "GOOD" Game, and could of blown them out of the water, why they did'nt I dont know. You know what hit me was that this team is not even peaking yet. I know it is something they like to say in tournaments but this team has not played its full potential. I do see Argentina prosper over Paraguay, they will play tight, they will play for a tie. I do want Argentina to have more of a gental route to the final, what person does not what their team to have a easy route( Cough Cough Brasil in 2002). When or if Argentina beat Paraguay I see them crushing Peru. Riquelme has been good in the last two games, espically when he scores then Argentina are just a great force. I do hope to see more of Aimar and Tevez. I just hope Paraguay do not score first and Argentina have to come back again, I want them to take the lead at the start and keep pushing ahead.
,Jack!
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