Group A of the Copa America gets underway on Monday night and the opening match sees the ousted host side Argentina taking on the veteran team of Chile in what should be a fantastic start to this section of the competition.
We saw Brazil get the tournament off to a fine start on Sunday evening and now their rivals Argentina will look to follow suit but Chile have a rich recent record in this competition and will want to stamp their mark on it.
Argentina
It has been a fair albeit a little uninspiring World Cup qualifying campaign for Argentina, with their matches heading into this tournament both being drawn, one of them coming against this opposition. They sit second in the standings so there is no immediate threat of them not making it to Qatar next year, but you sense they will need to have improved somewhat by the time they get there if they want to be a force in that competition.
One of the reasons for the less than inspiring campaign so far is their defence, which has been a concern for the last couple of tournaments, is finally having to be rebuilt and is taking time to find its feet. Argentina still look strong in the other areas of the pitch but they haven’t really delivered what they do for their clubs in a national shirt. If and when that changes they will be a real threat to whoever they come up against.
Chile
All eyes will be on Chile in this tournament to see if there is one last hurrah from their veteran side. This is a team who have won a couple of Copa America tournaments and went well in the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 but their World Cup qualifying campaign hasn’t really got going and that is giving an increasing sense that their elite players are just getting past their prime at this level. This is their chance to prove that isn’t the case.
You sense with all that in mind that the first goal is going to be key in Chile matches. With such an experienced side the last thing they want to be doing is going behind and then having to chase the game. They will look to dominate possession but their success in the past was based around a relentless press and as age catches with them you wouldn’t think they would be able to do that. That is going to leave them a little vulnerable.
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Team News
As ever with Argentina, manager Lionel Scaloni will have to decide who to partner Lionel Messi with up front. Sergio Aguero is fit again but the general consensus is that Lautaro Martinez will be given the role here.
The spine of this Chile side is likely to be the one which was so successful for them in the past with Claudio Bravo in goal, Gary Medel at the back with Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez the providers for Eduardo Vargas up top.
Betting
I’m hoping we get a good game to open up this group here and based on their recent World Cup qualifiers I’m sure we will because in those matches the defences of both sides looked like being breached at will. If there is a concern then it is that Argentina continually flatter to deceive in this tournament. You can’t argue with their attacking talent though and with four matches in the group for both sides and only one going out you’d hope we don’t get into a stalemate situation here.
Chile still carry enough of a threat in front of goal to suggest they can take advantage of this weaker Argentina defence so I’m hoping that both play to their strengths here rather than look to ease their way into the tournament. If they do then both teams to score has to be a legitimate runner here. They met in a World Cup qualifier a couple of weeks ago and that match ended 1-1. I expect both to find the net at least once here.
Tips
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