Given the way the Copa America Centenario quarterfinals panned out for Colombia and Chile, perhaps the only way to stop the party will be the severe weather warnings in IL.
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At the Gillette Stadium here late Saturday, Argentina showed ample glimpses of their awesome firepower by overpowering 2011 Copa America finalists Venezuela 4-1 in the quarter-finals.
Mexico is taking on last year’s champions Chile in a knockout quarterfinal match hosted in Santa Clara, California, at 10 p.m. EST on Saturday. “Maybe at the beginning (of the tournament) they weren’t able to reach this level but we all know they are capable of reaching this level”. Chile was so good Mexico just fell apart.
Thousands of Mexico’s frustrated fanaticos already were long gone by the time El Tri’s worst defeat in a competitive match finally ended, right along with its team-record unbeaten streak in embarrassing fashion at 22 matches.
After One day of the first Semi Final, Defending champion Chile will play against Colombia.
The opening period was always going to be hard for El Tri, with Juan Antonio Pizzi’s side pressing from the first minute.
La Roja will be without the suspended Arturo Vidal, who recovered from nearly killing himself in a auto crash a year ago to guide his team to their first ever major tournament victory, but Pekerman is no more enthused about the prospect of locking horns with Pizzi’s men.
Chile then cut loose early in the second half with slick inter-play ripping apart a feeble Mexican defense at will.
Chile were far more settled after accounting for Panama 4-2 in their Group D finale, Puch replacing Mauricio Isla.
One of these ascending teams – Colombia is third in the Federation Internationale de Football Association world rankings, Chile is fifth – will continue its rise Wednesday night when they meet at Soldier Field.
Oh, and there’s also a wee bloke called Lionel Messi who’s available to pull the strings and score wonder goals when those around him fail to fire.
The Burlingame Dragons amateur team has enjoyed lifetime experiences by scrimmaging against some of the world’s best players in town for the Copa America Centenario.
The Bayern Munich midfielder collected his second yellow card of the tournament against Mexico and serves a one-match ban.
Puch got things going in the 16th minute for Chile after capitalizing on a deflected shot by Marcelo Diaz off Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Chile opened the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Argentina in a riveting rematch of last year’s final, further eroding their odds.
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“These players are under pressure the moment they wake up at seven in the morning”, he said.
