Copa America 2024 Semifinals

Copa America 2024 has reached the semifinals, and my cat Whisky is still an excited sellout on all the teams that will play:

Canada	Argentina
Uruguay	Colombia

Canada, the only CONCACAF team left are surely the surprise in their first semifinal ever and will face the World and defending Copa America Champions of Argentina in the semifinals. Canada, who have only scored two ordinary goals in the tournament, already lost 0-2 to Argentina in their opening match, and if they manage to win, it will surely be one of the greatest upsets in the history of the game.

In the meantime Uruguay and Colombia are facing one another in a semifinal that is harder to predict. Colombia, led by a resuscitated James Rodriguez, is going through their longest streak of not losing ever, and are the most scoring team of the tournament after crushing Panama 5-0. In the meantime Uruguay is coming from three straight victories in the first round, and eliminating (no longer so) mighty Brazil in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks.

What we are hoping mostly is that the sides won't defend to much, and give one another some great matches. 

And despite of what my cat says, I hope for an Argentina-Colombia final!

Argentina in the final

Argentina, led by a splendid Lionel Messi, are looking more and more unbeatable just as they reach the final of the Copa America Centenario.
Despite improvements and a big home support USA stood no chance of challenging Argentina, who won 4-0 with goals by Ezequiel Lavezzi, Lionel Messi, and two by Gonzalo Higuain.
Colombia or Chile will play for the honour to face Argentina in the final.

The semifinals of Copa America

Every single of the semifinals of the Copa America will be special for me:

• USA-Argentina: Two countries I am very fond of, with my football heart being unapologetically Argentine. Argentina has been fantastic in this tournament, defeating Venezuela 4-1 in the quarterfinals. They will surely be favourites against the hosts, but if USA has ever showed anything, it is that they must never be underestimated; they have the quality to defeat anyone!
• Colombia-Chile: The country of my mother, against the country of my birth, I will be supporting Colombia, who has nevertheless not been looking that good. They defeated Peru on penalties after a boring 0-0 match, and they seem to lack spirit. Chile are the defending champions, and are in the semifinals after a historic 0-7 trashing of Mexico in what must be the worst result in Mexican football history (their worse defeat ever in a tournament, and first defeat in 22 games).

If things go as predicted, we will see a repeat of the 2015 Copa America final, although all four teams have the quality to make it.

How to motivate the Paraguayans

Sometimes there simply is no justice in football. Sometimes the one team that plays like a bunch of violent shits wins, and this has just happened with Paraguay, who has made it to the final of the Copa América by not winning a single match in ordinary time. Instead, they retort to defensiveness, dirty tricks and filthy provocations to make it to the penalty kicks, where their only "good" player (I say so, because you cannot call someone good who plays for such a team), Justo Villar, takes care of business for them.
Paraguay is simply the last shit one wants football to be known for, and the very last thing that one wants to come out of South American football!

Venezuela was far better, specially in extra time, but the football Gods were not with the Vinotinto.
That said, they have been great - the true revelation of the tournament! Venezuelans should be proud, and stand behind their side for the coming World Cup qualifiers. It would be fun for me to meet some Venezuelans in Brazil in 2014, and tell them that I lived in their country when they emerged from the shadows of international football.

I have a suggestion of top-5 things that they can motivate Paraguay´s team with for the final:
5. An education (in Spanish)
4. To change their yellow and red cards into cash
3. Work visas for Argentina
2. To rename the team "Paragay"
1. Paternity tests

Copa América semifinals

After this weekend's quarterfinals, the semifinals are:
July 20th: Argentina-Colombia
July 21st: Brazil-Uruguay

Two classic games:
Argentina-Colombia, is very special for the Colombians, who have a hard time forgetting their legendary 0-5 victory in Buenos Aires in 1993. The games are usually exciting and intense encounters, and this one will be no different. Persnally, it is a special game: I learned all about football when living in Argentina, and my football-heart is thoroughly Argentinian. On the other hand, I am half Colombian...
Brazil-Uruguay: Two world championship winners. Although a long time ago for Uruguay, it is still the smallest country in the world with the greatest footballing traditions. Encounters between these two great nations have always been incredible; just remember the 1950 World Cup final, or the semifinal in the 1970 world cup.

Shame I will not be able to see these amazing games...