Brazil and Uruguay Have Fallen Away: Now Copa America Is Argentina’s to Lose

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: June 17, 2016

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Even in their wildest dreams, Argentina could not have imagined their path to the Copa America would be cleared so obligingly by their rivals. Three of the South American continent's top outfits have fallen by the wayside after the first round, and anything but victory in 2016 would be a massive underachievement. 

It began with Uruguay. The 2011 winners were tipped to turn a few heads in the United States, and it was not hard to see why. The nucleus of the team that had led the Celeste to great success in recent years was still there, as was veteran tactician Oscar Tabarez. 

However, their lack of strength in depth betrayed them. The absence of Luis Suarez was an insurmountable obstacle, and Uruguay bombed out of the Copa with two defeats and just one solitary goal—from defender Diego Godin, moreover—before even taking the field for their final game. They would soon be joined by neighbours Paraguay. 

Ramon Diaz's charges were another side that on paper at least looked set to push all the way. But the Argentinian coach was never able to marry the creative young talents of Oscar Romero, Miguel Almiron and Derlis Gonzalez (to name just three) with the more rustic performers Paraguay were forced to field further down the pitch. 

The team did not work as a unit, and just one point from an admittedly tough group containing Colombia, Ecuador and the hosts United States was a similarly poor showing. Diaz resigned immediately after elimination, leaving the Guarani in a quandary ahead of the resumption of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers later this year. 

However, no quarter-final absence will please Argentina more than Brazil's. The Selecao of 2016 is barely a team to set hearts pulsing and opponents fleeing in fear, even if captain Neymar had been present on the pitch rather than a privileged spectator. But the sides that Dunga put out in 2004 and 2007 were similarl...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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