Copa America 2021 Group A Predictions

[StevieDay1983]

Here are the fixtures for Group A of the Copa America 2021. All previews for this group will be going in here so keep an eye out and feel free to post any predictions you have for these matches in here! 

[StevieDay1983]

Argentina vs Chile

The action in Group A begins on Monday night at 10pm BST in the Copa America 2021 when Argentina play Chile at the Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro. Preparations have been turbulent for the Argentines with their right to host the tournament being stripped from them after a spike in coronavirus cases but can they still get off to a winning start in Brazil against a dangerous Chilean side.

Argentina come into this tournament as one of the favourites and that's even after they have been forced to relinquish home advantage. Head coach Lionel Scaloni has turned this squad into one of the most effective defensive units in world football and they are unbeaten in 13 matches. Despite La Albiceleste building a solid run of results together, Scaloni has still be criticised for not maximising the use of attacking talents at his disposal within the team. It's mystifying with players such as Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria, and Angel Correa how the fans expect Scaloni to utilise all of them without it coming to the detriment of the team unit. Interestingly, the last time Argentina tasted defeat was at the 2019 Copa America. Their final game at that tournament was a 2-1 win over their opponent's here.

Chile have won the Copa America as recently as 2015 so they know what it takes to go all the way. Their run to the semi-finals at the last edition also showed they still possess the capabilities to go far. Head coach Martin Lasarte has seen his team struggle recently though. Just 3 wins from their last 13 matches is disappointing form in its own right but those poor performances have left La Roja down in 7th place in the 2022 World Cup qualification group with only 1 win from their first 6 qualification matches. You look at their squad and you have to wonder if it's suffering from key players reaching the end days of their careers. Claudio Bravo, Mauricio Isla, Gary Medel, Arturo Vidal, and Alexis Sanchez are still very central to what the side does but they're all well into their 30s now. Is this tired 4-4-2 set-up with the same personnel now just becoming too predictable?

You compare these two teams and their recent form and you have to feel that this is Argentina's game to lose. That being said, they did meet just earlier this month in the World Cup qualifiers and it ended in a 1-1 draw. Will this game be just as tentative? Probably. I think if either side is going to win this game then it'll be decided by a single goal and even though I'm tempted by the price of a draw I do feel Argentina have to be backed.

Argentina to Win @ 1.78 with SBK

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.68 with Matchbook

[StevieDay1983]

Paraguay vs Bolivia

The second game in Group A at the Copa America 2021 is a 1am BST kick-off on Tuesday morning between two of the group's underdogs in Paraguay and Bolivia at the Estadio Olimpico Pedro Ludovico in Goiania. It has to be said that with just one team missing out from each group on qualification for the next phase that losing this game must be seen as unthinkable for either side if they wish to have any hope of progressing.

Paraguay qualified for four straight World Cups between 1998 and 2010 in what was considered a golden period of the country. It's been a bit of a barren run since and head coach Eduardo Benzzo is the latest man charged with trying to recapture the glory days of Los Guaranjes. The days of Roque Santa Cruz, Jose Luis Chilavert, and Carlos Gamarra may be long gone but is there still enough quality in this squad to give other teams concerns? One thing Benzzo has managed to achieve during his time at the helm is turn Paraguay into a tough team to beat. 4 draws from their opening 6 qualification matches for the 2022 World Cup is evidence of that with the team taking points off the likes of Argentina, Peru, and Uruguay. Failure to score in their last two games has exposed an impotency up front and when you see their attacking options you can understand why. The 7 strikers chosen in the squad only have 10 goals between them and 6 of those have been scored by Angel Romero in 25 international appearances.

Bolivia are undoubtedly the minnows of the tournament so this will be seen as their best opportunity to somehow avoid finishing bottom of the group. Head coach Cesar Farias knows that there is no expectation or pressure and that each opponent they play has everything to lose. La Verde are currently 8th in their 2022 World Cup qualification group having beaten Venezuela and earned draws against Chile and Paraguay. So you can understand why they are coming into this tournament with their tails up. Marcelo Moreno bagged a brace in that 2-2 draw with Paraguay and his team will be hoping he can find that scoring touch again here with their captain also grabbing the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Chile.

This game is a close one to call. Paraguay will certainly be feeling the pressure to get a result here. Do they realistically fancy their chances against Argentina, Chile, or Uruguay? Unlikely. Bolivia have shown already that they can go toe-to-toe with Paraguay and I definitely don't feel comfortable betting against them here. If Paraguay can keep Moreno quiet then they should grab the win but it's a tall order. The front man is in form and I wouldn't be surprised to see Bolivia snatch a point. It's worth taking a punt because I'm a football romantic and would love to see it!

Draw @ 4.80 with SBK

Anytime Scorer: Marcelo Moreno @ 5.00 with Bet365

[goaloong]

Argentina

Argentina has been unbeaten in 14 consecutive games, and the first round of the draw with Chile is not too bad. And Messi scored a wonderful free kick, his state is directly related to Argentina's performance.

Uruguay

Uruguay has a strong lineup. The forwards include Suarez and Cavani who have performed well this season. The midfielders and defenders have many famous players, such as Godin, Jimenez and Bentancur.

Betting Verdict:

Argentina's lineup is dominated by young players, and the re-encounter of Messi and Suarez is the focus of the game. The 1X2 first odd is 1.91-3.50-4.00，which means support the home team, Argentina should at least draw in this game.

Pick: 1X

http://www.goaloong.net/news/698665

[goaloong]

Chile

Chile has a very strong lineup, with Vidal and Sanchez both selected. In the first round, Chile drew with Argentina with one goal behind. This game is a good chance for them to win.

Bolivia

Bolivia belongs to the downstream team in South America and has lost all the previous two Copa America group matches. Recently, their state is still very poor. They lost to Paraguay 1-3 after leading by one goal in the first round of the group stage.

Betting Verdict:

The strength of the two teams is very different. In the last 10 matches, Chile scored 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. The 1X2 first odd is 1.33-4.75-10.00，which means support the home team, Chile should win this game.

Pick: 1

http://www.goaloong.net/news/698658

[StevieDay1983]

Chile vs Bolivia

The Group A action at the Copa America 2021 re-commences on Friday night when Chile play Bolivia in a 10pm BST kick-off at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba. These two sides both failed to win their opening group games but the Chilean fans will undoubtedly have been pleased with the draw against Argentina where the Bolivian supporters will know their team have it all to do after defeat to Paraguay.

Chile will certainly be delighted with the 1-1 they earned against one of the pre-tournament favourites in Argentina in their first group game. Eduardo Vargas rescued a point for La Roja after Lionel Messi had given Argentina a first half lead. This will be a game that will give head coach Martin Lasarte the feeling that they can all but secure their place in the Quarter-Finals with a win and also set themselves up for a decent ranking for the knockout phase. It is now three draws in a row and Chile's unbeaten record extends to four matches now.

Bolivia are the outsiders for this tournament but they'll be desperately gutted to have been so easily beaten by Paraguay in their opening game in a 3-1 loss. An Erwin Saavedra penalty after 10 minutes gave them the best possible start but Paraguay replied emphatically to romp to a two-goal win. That was arguably the one game that head coach Cesar Farias would have felt was his team's best chance of taking a win from this group. It's now going to be a massive challenge for them to beat any of the other three teams they have left to face starting here with Chile having now lost 6 of their last 9 matches.

I'm not sure I can see anything other than a win for Chile here. I appreciate that the Colombia versus Venezuela game provided a word of warning but Bolivia don't possess the defensive resilience that Venezuela displayed in that game. I can see a repeat score-line in the favour of Chile even though these two sides drew 1-1 in their 2022 World Cup qualification game just earlier this month.

Chile -1 @ 2.05 with SportNation

Chile HT/FT @ 2.05 with Sporting Index

[StevieDay1983]

Argentina vs Uruguay

The second game in Group A taking place is the 1am BST kick-off on Saturday morning when one of the pre-tournament favourites Argentina look to bounce back from their opening game disappointment against a Uruguay side who make their first appearance at Copa America 2021. The match is set to take place at the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia.

Argentina will feel they missed a big chance to start their campaign with a victory after throwing away that 1-0 lead to draw 1-1 with Chile. It had appeared that Lionel Messi had done enough to inspire his side to a win but Eduardo Vargas had other ideas. Head coach Lionel Scaloni has extended his team's undefeated run to 14 matches with that draw so it's not all bad news. It's anticipated that Scaloni will keep faith in the 4-3-3 set-up that has seen his side remain unbeaten over the past two years of competitive matches. He will be concerned that his team failed to score from open play against Chile so we could see a more expansive approach to try and solve that here.

Uruguay enter this tournament still under the leadership of head coach Oscar Tabarez. Funnily enough, I met the Uruguayan team and Tabarez when I was having my suit fitted for my wedding during the 2012 Olympic Games when they had a game in Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium. Lovely bloke. Anyway, enough reminiscing. La Celeste open their campaign with this tricky tie and will see any point from this game as valuable. No win in their last 3 matches has seen them make a stuttering start to their 2022 World Cup qualification campaign with the team down in 4th place in the group and only just inside the automatic qualification spots by virtue of goal difference. A number of talented players still litter the squad including Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Luca Torreira, Jose Gimenez, and Diego Godin. It's the sort of experience that is vital in games like this. Back-to-back clean sheets will give Tabarez a solid foundation to build on but they'll need to rectify the impotency issues in the final third if they want to win this one.

This is a tough one to call. Argentina will definitely be looser having already played but Uruguay will be fresh and ready to go. These two great South American teams both boast some big names who can deliver match-winning moments. I'm not sure I can pick a winner with the teams so evenly matched. I'll bottle job it and back a draw with both teams scoring.

Draw @ 3.51 with VBet

BTTS @ 2.30 with SportNation

[Labrador]

Interesting that a Spanish ref (Jesus Gil Manzano) takes charge of Chile v Bolivia. Not sure how often non-South American refs officiate in this competition. I can envisage some desperation from Bolivia with the Chileans adopting their usual swarming, gung-ho approach. Both sides are well capable of offending, and a card-fest is possible. Have bet over 5 cards (Asian) at 1.90 B365 (money back if exactly 5) and had a modest buy of bookings at 53 with Sporting Index in case it really kicks off.

[StevieDay1983]

Uruguay vs Chile

One of the more intriguing group games is coming up in Group A of the Copa America 2021 on Monday night as dark horses Uruguay and Chile go head-to-head in a 10pm BST kick-off at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba. La Celeste are without a point after their solitary game in this competition and will be looking to get their first against a La Roja side that currently top the group with 4 points from their 2 matches thus far.

Uruguay were looking a little shaky coming into this tournament with just 1 win from their 5 games leading up to their opening match. Those concerns will not have been put to rest after the narrow 1-0 loss to Argentina in their opening game. OK, so Argentina were the favourites for that match but Oscar Tabarez would have felt that with the players at his disposal they could have taken something from that encounter. It's now 4 games without a win for Uruguay. The team has also failed to score in any of those games which is astounding given the wealth of attacking talent they possess.

Chile will undoubtedly be confident heading into this game. Head coach Martin Lasarte has seen his side pick up 4 points so far after a superb 1-1 draw with Argentina in their opening game followed by a gritty 1-0 win over underdogs Bolivia. The team is hardly tearing up trees but their resolute performances are earning them admirers even if the football isn't the most attractive. It's now 5 games unbeaten for this team and they could further consolidate their position at the top of the group table with another win in this game whilst also making a huge statement against one of the pre-tournament favourites.

There isn't going to be a lot in this game. We saw on Sunday night and Monday morning how little there is between teams in this tournament and how even the minnows can spring a surprise. Uruguay will be keen to get off the mark after that disappointing, albeit unsurprising, loss in their first game. However, Chile are quietly building their self belief. Can they repeat the feat of 2015? I wouldn't rule them out but I think this one could end in a draw.

Draw @ 3.40 with William Hill

BTTS @ 2.16 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Argentina vs Paraguay

The second game in Group A taking place in the next round of matches is the 1am BST kick-off on Tuesday morning between Argentina and Paraguay at the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia. Both teams are already off the mark with victories in the tournament so far and with progression to the Quarter-Finals looking likely this game will help these two sides to try and improve their seeding for that stage of the competition.

Argentina have already shown why they're considered to be one of the pre-tournament favourites for this competition. A resolute 1-1 draw with a decent Chile was followed up by a narrow 1-0 win over Uruguay. Lionel Scaloni's men have lived up to their reputation of building their play on a solid defensive structure whilst also possessing the attacking treasures that most other nations can only dream of having. Question marks still surround Scaloni's tactical decisions due to the lack of goals Argentina are scoring right now. Only 1 goal has been scored in 4 of their last 6 matches but when you consider they are on an unbeaten run of 15 matches you have to say that those questions don't really matter right now.

Paraguay are aiming to simply reach the last 8 of this competition. Head coach Eduardo Berizzo saw his team pull off a satisfactory 3-1 win against group minnows Bolivia. A brace from Angel Romero was scored alongside a single goal from Romero Gamarra. Very little can be determined from that result but the fact Bolivia then narrowly lost 1-0 to an impressive Chile in their second game suggests Paraguay's win wasn't half bad at all. This is an entirely different challenge though and if Paraguay can somehow get a point from this game then they'll be looking well set for the knockout stages.

This might not be an Argentina that we're used to seeing down the years. The attacking mindset is being subdued under Scaloni but it's proving effective with the team unbeaten in so long. Paraguay look to be a potential spanner in the works for teams in this group and it's looking fairly certain they'll have enough to reach the next phase. I'm not sure they have enough to take anything off Argentina here though. Another hard fought win for La Albiceleste I think.

Argentina to Win to Nil @ 2.20 with SpreadEx

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.74 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Bolivia vs Uruguay

The penultimate round of Group B matches are coming up in the Copa America 2021. First up, we have the 10pm BST kick-off on Thursday night between group minnows Bolivia and one of the pre-tournament favourites Uruguay at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba. In a battle between the bottom two sides in this group the pressure is on both to avoid defeat that will certainly leave their Quarter-Final hopes hanging by a thread.

Bolivia came into this tournament with the anticipation that they would find this group tough to get out of. Head coach Cesar Farias has seen his team pick up some decent results in 2022 World Cup qualification but it's been two losses from their two group matches so far. La Verde haven't been an easy team to break down though with both Paraguay and Chile finding it hard to find a way through to get the win in those two games. The big blow for the team here is the absence of star man Marcelo Moreno who will likely be absent after testing positive for covid-19.

Uruguay will be disappointed with their campaign so far. Oscar Tabarez's men are second from bottom with just 1 point from their two group games so far. A 1-0 loss to Argentina was followed by the frustrating 1-1 draw with Chile. A shock defeat here would leave La Celeste on the brink of suffering a humiliating group stage elimination but, in all honesty, with Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani leading the line this should be a game that delivers 3 points and secures their passage into the last 8. If Uruguay can score early then it's hard to see Bolivia finding a way back into the game.

On paper, these two squads are light years apart. You would be expecting Uruguay to have this game wrapped up by half-time. Bolivia have been resilient though. The head-to-head record doesn't make for easy reading for Bolivians with Uruguay winning 29 of the 43 meetings. Bolivia have also won just 1 of the last 12 encounters. Bolivia have also only won 2 of the last 15 meetings at the Copa America. Recent meetings in this competition between these two have been tightly contested though with the last 4 meetings at a Copa America seeing a winner coming by just a single goal. I actually expect Uruguay to buck that trend here.

Uruguay HT/FT @ 1.78 with SBK

Uruguay -1 @ 1.67 with SpreadEx

[StevieDay1983]

Chile vs Paraguay

The second match being played in the penultimate round of matches in Group A is the 1am BST kick-off on Friday morning between Chile and Paraguay at the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia. It's a game that has big pressure on the Paraguayans who know if they fail to win then their fate would go down to the last day of matches but for the Chileans it's a case of sitting back and enjoying having already qualified for the next round.

Chile have done what they've needed to do so far. I have to admit that off the back of their indifferent start to the 2022 World Cup qualification and with big stars such as Jean Beausejour, Luis Jimenez, and Fabian Orellana not included in the squad I felt this could be a tricky tournament for La Roja. Head coach Martin Lasarte has led his team to 1 win and 2 draws from 3 very awkward matches. The two 1-1 draws with Argentina and Uruguay have shown they are a team that should be considered as potential winners and the 1-0 victory over Bolivia also ensured they weren't victims of under-estimating the group minnows. It's all about finishing as high as possible to give themselves the best possible draw in the Quarter-Finals.

Paraguay still have work to do with the team currently in 3rd place and just 3 points off the bottom. If Bolivia spring a shock result on Uruguay in the earlier kick-off then the pressure will pile on Los Guaranies to get a result here. Head coach Eduardo Berrizo will feel a draw could well be enough but it's just 1 win from the last 6 games for Paraguay. Yes, they did well to beat Bolivia 3-1 but their 1-0 loss to Argentina, despite being courageous, leaves them at risk of not qualifying. Will Berrizo look to get a point that should be enough to see them through or will he want to go for the win?

I'm not expecting a classic here. I'm not sure either side is desperate to ruffle any feathers. Chile are already through so can afford to rest players or experiment. Paraguay will likely set up to draw and try to hit Chile with a smash and grab counter attack. The end result could be a timid and mundane affair with limited chances or goals. I wouldn't be surprised if this ended in a draw.

Draw @ 3.07 with VBet

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.54 with SBK

[Labrador]

In the light of Stevie's excellent write up, I'm looking for a bit of value for a Bolivian player to be booked. Step forward Adrian Jusino who has kept himself out of trouble in Bolivia's last 3 games, but as centre-back in a vital game against Suarez & Co, he may revert to type. He was the first player booked in Bolivia's World Cup qualifiers back in November against Paraguay and Ecuador. Significantly (perhaps) the ref who booked him in the Paraguay game was today's official, Alexis Herrera.

I've backed Jusino to be carded at 2/1 (better available at 9/4 elsewhere), to receive 1st card of match 12/1 (allowed 83 pence by Hills? ) and to receive a red card at 40/1 (skybet).

[harry_rag]

35 minutes ago, Labrador said:

I've backed Jusino to be carded at 2/1 (better available at 9/4 elsewhere), to receive 1st card of match 12/1 (allowed 83 pence by Hills? ) and to receive a red card at 40/1 (skybet).

10 points on at the 9/4 with PP for an interest. His card minutes are 20 to buy with SPIN. One of these days I’ll get my head round how to compare that market with the anytime card market to work out where the value lies. In the absence of a red card you’d need him to be booked from 65 minutes onwards to match 9/4.

[harry_rag]

I’ve now talked myself into a buy of Bentancur’s card minutes for 1 point at 12. Looks better than the 7/2 anytime and on his stats, even allowing for Uruguay being strong favourites tonight.

[Labrador]

1 hour ago, harry_rag said:

10 points on at the 9/4 with PP for an interest. His card minutes are 20 to buy with SPIN. One of these days I’ll get my head round how to compare that market with the anytime card market to work out where the value lies. In the absence of a red card you’d need him to be booked from 65 minutes onwards to match 9/4.

 

Yes, I feel fixed odds the way to go this time with a small extra bet on the red card possibility.

Also fancy a penalty to be awarded. Have taken 5/2, although no doubt better elsewhere where I can't bet. A Uruguay penalty at 11/4 was the best I could take, so i felt the lower 5/2 worth taking just in case Bolivia are awarded one. Senor Herrera has awarded pens in both his recent WC qualifiers.

Edited June 24, 2021 by Labrador

[StevieDay1983]

Bolivia vs Argentina

The Group A action at the Copa America 2021 comes to a finale on Tuesday morning at 1am BST as group minnows Bolivia look to cause a shock of seismic proportions against one of the pre-tournament favourites Argentina at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba. Hopes of qualification have gone for the already-eliminated Bolivians but they'll be keen to end their tournament on a high and take a huge scalp here.

Bolivia have fought bravely in all of their group games thus far. Head coach Cesar Farias saw his team battle to the bitter end in all three matches so far with the 3-1 loss to Paraguay being followed by the narrow 1-0 defeat to Chile and then the 2-0 loss to Uruguay. La Verde are sat rock bottom of the group and 4 points adrift of the Quarter-Final qualifications spots so have had their elimination confirmed already. One area of concern for Bolivia has been their lack of potency up front. Just 1 goal scored so far and that being from the penalty spot when Erwin Saavedra bagged a 10th minute spot kick in their opening game against Paraguay. Failure to score in two group games and not even managing to score a goal from open play is a worry.

Argentina will be desperate to ensure they win this game and finish the group phase at the top of the table. Lionel Scaloni's men have had a relatively straight forward process so far with their 1-1 draw with Chile being followed by two 1-0 wins over Uruguay and Paraguay. There is no doubt that the fans will be wanting to see more goals scored here with the attacking delights that La Albiceleste can boast. Two clean sheets is very pleasing for Scaloni though and there's every chance they can improve that excellent defensive record even further by keeping another clean sheet here. The fact Argentina have won the last 6 meetings between the two sides with 5 of those wins coming with clean sheets offers even more optimism of this outcome happening.

I don't think there is any doubt that Argentina are heavy favourites to win this game and top their group. Bolivia have all the heart in the world but they just haven't been able to compete with the other teams in this group. Yes, they've pushed them close in a couple of games but have lacked that quality to help them take any points. That stark difference in quality will once again be on show here so I'm anticipating a clean sheet win by 2-3 goals for Argentina.

Argentina HT/FT @ 1.60 with SportNation

Argentina to Win to Nil @ 1.63 with VBet

 

[StevieDay1983]

Uruguay vs Paraguay

Qualification and elimination has already been decided in Group A at the Copa America 2021 but that doesn't mean there's not still lots to play for going into the final round of group games. Uruguay take on Paraguay in this 1am BST kick-off on Tuesday morning at the Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro. Victory could mean a more appealing Quarter-Final draw so the incentive is there.

Uruguay have a squad that is rightly being considered as dark horses for this year's tournament. Oscar Tabarez continues to do a solid job as head coach of the national team but they've not quite performed to their best so far. La Celeste narrowly lost to Argentina by a 1-0 score in their opening game before being held to a 1-1 draw with Chile. A 2-0 win over group underdogs Bolivia was enough to secure their place in the last 8 but it hardly left the fans buoyant. Uruguay have now drawn 3 of their last 5 international matches including drawing with their opponents for this game in their meeting in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers earlier this month.

Paraguay are proving a very difficult side to beat. Head coach Eduardo Berizzo has seen his team beat Bolivia 3-1 and then defeat Chile by a 2-0 score-line. However, these wins sandwiched a narrow 1-0 loss to Argentina. It is now just 2 defeats (against Brazil and Argentina) in their last 12 matches but 6 of those games have ended in draws as well. So this is very much a Los Guaranies side that are tricky to break down but also have an issue with killing games off and winning. They currently sit in 2nd in the group and know a draw will guarantee that final position.

Four of the last six meetings between Uruguay and Paraguay have ended in a draw and it's easy to see why. There's not a lot separating the two nations at the moment. Despite Uruguay boasting more individual talents the cohesive units are very finely matched. I have to say that seeing a draw here wouldn't surprise me in the latest considering how lacklustre Uruguay have looked but also how resolutely Paraguay have played so far.

Draw @ 3.00 with Betfred

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.51 with SportNation