Copa America 2024: Knockout Rounds Primer
Eight teams remain, the four quarterfinals are set, but which two teams will meet in the final?
The United States and Mexico have crashed out of Copa America, leaving just Canada and Panama to represent CONCACAF the rest of the way. A bitter pill to swallow for the regions giants but the USMNT’s problems were well rooted before this tournament.
It’s an intriguing bracket for Canada who likely have the most winable game of the second place finishers but will have to do so without former New England Revolution winger Tajon Buchanan who underwent successful surgery on a broken tibia suffered at practice this week.
Argentina shows no signs of slowing down until the final even if Lionel Messi might miss another match. The lower half of the bracket now favors Colombia who don’t have to play Uruguay or Brazil, though that quarterfinal matchup could be epic.
I just noticed the final will be played in Miami, I’m sure at the request of CONEMBOL though I’m sure the USSF pushed hard for the Meadowlands in NJ to get that as a test run of the World Cup final in two years. A semifinal likely with Argentina will have to do for the future host country.
TV SCHEDULE
July 4 - Quarterfinals
Argentina vs. Ecuador: 9 p.m., FOX, Univision/TUDN — NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
July 5
Venezuela vs. Canada: 9 p.m., FS1, Univision/TUDN — AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
July 6
Colombia vs. Panama: 6 p.m., FS1, Univision/TUDN — State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Uruguay vs. Brazil: 9 p.m., FS1, Univision/TUDN — Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
July 9 - Semifinals
ARG/ECU Winner vs VEN/CAN Winner: 8 p.m., FS1, Univision/TUDN — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
July 10
COL/PAN Winner vs URU/BRA Winner: 8 p.m., FS1, Univision/TUDN — Bank Of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
July 13 - Third-place match
8 p.m., FS1, Univision/TUDN — Bank Of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
July 14 - Final
8 p.m., FOX, Univision/TUDN — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
KNOCKOUT OVERVIEW
Argentina has been so solid on both ends of the field it almost looks like they’re coasting. They haven’t been as ruthless in the attacking third as Uruguay has but they have been good enough haven’t looked like dropping points yet save for that rough and tumble game with Chile. The early red card to Enner Valencia in Ecuador’s opener put them in a tough spot in the group, but they survived with a good showing against Jamaica with their captain suspended and then stifled a Mexico team that were on the front foot in the finale. Ecuador can’t sit back like that again though or Argentina will pick them apart eventually. If I were La Tri I would absolutely try to get ahead in this one early.
Venezuela and Canada is a very even matchup, where the Canucks speed will have to unsettle the Venezuela consistency. Canada is playing for another chance at Argentina while Venezuela is looking for their first semifinal since 2011. Salomon Rondon had two goals in the group stage, Canada had two goals as a team in their three games, I think the lack of offensive production concerns me a bit and I’ll give the edge to La Vinotinto.
Oh USA, you screwed this one up badly. A rematch against a Colombia side that pasted you in a friendly 5-1 before the tournament would have been a great storyline, now we have to see if Panama can hold the line in the quarterfinal. Colombia are far more inventive than the U.S. with James Rodriguez leading the attack and the Canaleros did a lot of their scoring late in the group phase which means Los Cafeteros should be in control of this one early.
Aside from a 15 minute stretch against Paraguay, Brazil have looked like a very average side by their standards. Finishing second in the group and getting a red hot Uruguay team is not an ideal situation. Uruguay on the other hand can’t stop scoring and against a Brazil team that isn’t firing on all cylinders, I think the Selecao should be worried here. Would love to see a goal fest in this one.
KNOCKOUT PREDICTIONS
Argentina-Venezuela / Colombia-Uruguay → Argentina-Uruguay
If Messi is healthy I think Argentina will eventually win this but I can’t discount Uruguay’s current form. It’s not wrong to say Uruguay has been the best team in the tournament so far but I think Argentina’s overall organization can slow them down. If it comes down to a moment of brilliance, Messi and Lautaro Martinez vs Suarez and Darwin Nunez is a pretty nice way to close this one out despite the blasphemous homerism Inter Miami is getting in this final.