A high-profile 2016 Copa América Centenario quarterfinals match between two of the tournament’s favorites, Mexico and Chile, is set at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on June 18, Saturday.
Mexico, the reigning Gold Cup and CONCACAF Cup winners, and Chile, the defending Copa America champions, are two of the odds-on favorites to win the entire tournament or at least advance to the semifinals, but it turned out that they have to eliminate one another in the last eight.
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Mexico topped Group C of the competitions as they have a superior goal difference over runner-up Venezuela. Their last game of the group stage is a no-bearing one, which featured them settling to a 1-1 tie with La Vinotinto as they both have already qualified to the quarters even before their meeting, as per ESPN.
Defender José Manuel Velázquez scored the first goal for Venezuela ten minutes into the game before Porto striker Jesus Manuel Corona leveled the count also with ten minutes left in regulation time.
It was still a welcome draw for El Tri, though, as they would have faced world no. 1 Argentina in the quarters if they had lost the match.
Meanwhile, defending champs Chile has been mercurial in their performance in the tourney especially on the defensive end.
After dropping their opening game versus the Argentinians, who then played without their team captain Lionel Messi, they barely escaped Bolivia with a stoppage time goal by Arturo Vidal and then allowed Panama to score two goals against them in their final group stage fixture.
Chile won that one over Los Canaleros, 4-2, at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Tuesday, via SkySports, but new manager Juan Antonio Pizzi is said to be unsatisfied about his team’s efforts on defense.
Braces from Hoffenheim striker Eduardo Vargas and Arsenal winger Alexis Sanchez saved the day for La Roja as midfielder Miguel Camargo and forward Abdiel Arroyo each scored a goal for Panama.
Pizzi will closely check their defensive game plan in this match versus Mexico as they are anticipated to have a hard time trying to protect their goal from the El Tri striking duo of Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Oribe Peralta.
The predicted result is a close 2-1 victory for Chile.
Mexico starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Corona; Aguilar, Reyes, Moreno, Layun; Hernandez; Lozano, Herrera, Guardado, Aquino; Peralta
Chile starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Bravo; Isla, Medel, Jara, Beausejour; Vidal, Diaz, Aranguiz; Fuenzalida, Vargas, Sanchez
