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Copa America
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The South American championship for national soccer teams. First held in 1916, Copa America is the oldest international soccer tournament in the world and this summer will be contested for the 42nd time. The 10 major countries on the continent will be joined by guest teams from the United States and Mexico. Uruguay and Argentina have won 14 titles apiece, and five-time World Cup champion Brazil has taken home the trophy seven times.
When
Today through July 15.
TV: All 26 games are live on GolTV (English) as well as either Univision or Telefutura (Spanish).
Online Info: http:/
Where
Nine cities in Venezuela.
Group A: Venezuela, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru.
Group B: Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador.
Group C: Argentina, United States, Paraguay, Colombia.
Format: Group play will determine eight quarterfinalists. The final is in Maracaibo.
The Favorite
In South America, it's almost always about Brazil and Argentina. In this tournament, Argentina gets the edge because of a power-packed roster, led by Lionel Messi, Hernan Crespo and Juan Ramon Riquelme, and a hunger to end a 14-year drought without a Copa title. Brazil will not have its two best players, Kaka and Ronaldinho, who requested a break from the national team after long club seasons.
The Host
Venezuela is a baseball country, but is gradually making gains in soccer and is no longer a pushover in continental competition. This is the first time it has hosted Copa America and, with a growing number of players boasting foreign club experience, it appears to have an excellent chance of advancing out of a relatively weak group.
The Americans
Despite its Gold Cup victory Sunday, the U.S. squad will carry low expectations into Copa America after overhauling the roster because of limited player availability and the need to introduce young players into formidable competition. Coach Bob Bradley has called on a handful of 2006 World Cup veterans (Kasey Keller, Jimmy Conrad, Ben Olsen and Eddie Johnson) but will rely heavily on several internationally inexperienced players, such as Jonathan Bornstein, Jay DeMerit, Ricardo Clark, Justin Mapp and Gold Cup hero Benny Feilhaber. Sixteen of the 22 players on the roster have made eight or fewer national team appearances. The U.S. team will face Argentina on Thursday in Maracaibo, Paraguay on July 2 in Barinas and Colombia on July 5 in Barquisimeto.
-- Steven Goff
