By Paul Nicholson
June 3 – The much-anticipated and often troublesome Copa America Centenario kicks off Saturday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with the US hosts facing Colombia. The opening match has the potential to spark what could be a celebration of sparkling football which will be in stark contrast (and a relief from) the dark areas of football corruption that this tournament has brought into the light.
Originally trumpeted as an inter-confederation breakthrough, and one of the first acts of former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb (now under house arrest awaiting sentencing), the Copa America Centenario is a bold attempt to bring stronger competition to North America and a much needed revenue stream to South America.
The football poor of North America getting a helping hand from the football rich of South America, while the economically poorer South Americans get some cash help from the economic powerhouse of North America (the US in particular).
The problem was that the executives in charge of staging the tournament became too excited by the economic opportunity leading to the rights deals and kick back arrangements that contributed to the waves of arrests in Zurich, Switzerland, last May and December.
What looked like being the death of a good idea became an opportunity for a reborn (again) CONCACAF – with the help of their US Department of Justice masters overlooking every move both within the US and regional federation – to showcase what the US can do for football (beyond arresting its executives).
The process has been painful, often controversial, but ultimately could be the platform for the sport to capture the imagination of a broader US sporting public, as well as achieving the original twin aims of development and cash.
Crucial to a good start for the tournament will be a strong performance from the US team tonight against Colombia, one of the darlings of the Brazil 2014 World Cup and one of the favourites for this championship despite a poor performance at last year’s Copa America where they scored just one goal and failed to get out their group.
The US will inevitably bring vigour and an organised gameplan. Whether it can find players to match the genius Colombia is capable of producing will be the test.
The US’s German coach Jurgen Klinsmann is confident. “This is about measuring yourself,” he said. “Are we capable of competing with [these teams] eye to eye? Can we beat them and make it far in this tournament? I think we are. I think we have the capability, we have the qualities, we have the drive, we have the talent. But you have to prove it.”
Klinsmann looks to have found some footballing balance with recent wins again Ecuador and Bolivia.
John Brooks and Geoff Cameron are forming an increasingly dominant central defensive partnership and have the midfield anchor of Michael Bradley in front of them. If the battle is to be won in midfield Bradley will have to be at the very top of his game and drag some others up there to join him. Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya who will partner him in midfield will need to be in the game from the start, and stay there. Most importantly they will need to get possession and keep it long enough to be able to release a forward line that looks a little short on goals.
The experienced Clint Dempsey will lead upfront, most likely joined by the pace of Gyasi Zardes and Bobby Wood. None of them have lit up the scoring charts in the MLS so far this season.
In contrast the Colombians under mercurial Argentinian coach Jose Pekerman, will be coming with all their big names and goalscorers, including Juan Cuadrado, Carlos Bacca and James Rodriguez.
Rodriguez, for many the most exciting player of the 2014 World Cup, who seems to save his best performances for his country, has had a poor club season in Europe at Real Madrid. The US will be hoping this isn’t the day he finds his world-beating form.
The US and Colombia have met five times previously with the results being two wins each and a draw. The last time they met was in a friendly in the US 2014, after the Brazil 2014 World Cup, which the Colombians won 2-1.
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