Group C at the 2024 Copa América is the one that’s going to draw the most attention for fans in the United States, as the United States Men’s National Team are the hosts and the seeded team in this group. They are joined by Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia in a group that has two teams that should be the favorites, with one team needing some help.
The teams in this group each may hope to get to the knockout stage, but waiting for them in the quarterfinals potentially are two real contenders in Brazil and Colombia. It will make this a group that will come down to the final matchday and might be separated by a couple of goals. Let’s view each of the teams and what they bring to the table.
Schedule
Sunday, June 23rd
USA vs. Bolivia
Uruguay vs. Panama
Thursday, June 27th
Panama vs. USA
Uruguay vs. Bolivia
Monday, July 1st
USA vs. Uruguay
Bolivia vs. Panama
USA
The USMNT enter this group with a lot of questions, mainly can they take care of business against the teams that are not as good and if they can take down the co-favorites of the group and beat the elite teams. This is a chance for the team to take the next step in their buildup to co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, and they want to be consistent in executing their gameplan and scoring some goals. If they make mistakes, as they did in droves against Colombia in one of their tune-up matches, they could be in trouble. And, the pressure is elevated for the players but especially for head coach Gregg Berhalter, who has to lead this team to the next level to show America that they’re ready to take on the world and he’s the coach that can get them there.
FIFA Ranking: 11
Odds of Winning Group: Co-Favorites
One to Watch: Johnny Cardoso could see some action at defensive midfield early if Tyler Adams is not fully match fit, and his ability in the midfield could be the difference for the USMNT.
Uruguay
La Celeste has been quietly trying to reload its squad for a run at Copa América and to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and they’ve sneakily elevated back to being one of the best teams in the world. They torched Mexico in their lone tune-up match, and that gives them some confidence that they can get it done and be the class of the group. They just need to be consistent with their production and not have their defense fail them, as it did in March against the Ivory Coast.
FIFA Ranking: 15
Odds of Winning: Co-Favorites
One to Watch: Darwin Núñez is poised to be one of the prolific scorers at this tournament, so keep an eye on him whenever he’s on the field.
Panama
Los Canaleros are a team that’s in a state of flux. They have nine players that have 10 or fewer caps entering the tournament, including two uncapped players. Some of the old guard is there, but for the most part this team is hoping to make some noise through getting results by any means necessary. It will be necessary for Panama to not do too much, because they possess the quality to turn a match on its head. But, if they aim big and miss, they could be going home.
FIFA Ranking: 45
Odds of Winning: Needs help
One to Watch: Rolando Blackburn needs to produce some goals if Panama is going to succeed. He’s the most experienced striker for Los Canaleros.
Bolivia
Bolivia is always a mysterious team for everyone outside of South America, but thing that has been consistent for them over the past 2 years has been a string of awful performances. Since June 2023, they are 2W-11L-1D, which will not get the job done. There is a lot of turnover on this roster, with 10 players with 10 caps or fewer on the team. They have rarely performed well outside of La Paz (and its extremely high altitude) in recent decades, and they will need to figure out a way to grab a result or two if they want their stay at Copa América to last more than a week and a half.
FIFA Ranking: 85
Odds of Winning: Slim to none
One to Watch: Miguel Terceros is a 20-year-old midfielder who could have the tools to have a breakthrough.
Who will advance from Group C? What matches are most interesting to you? Let us know in the comments.
Source link : https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/copa-america/2024/6/18/24180428/2024-copa-america-group-c-preview-usa-usmnt-uruguay-panama-bolivia
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Publish date : 2024-06-18 10:00:00
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