Host nation the USA will be battling it out with Colombia for the third-place game in the 2016 Copa America Centenario soccer tournament this Saturday, June 25th when the two teams meet at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale Arizona. These two teams met in the opening game of the tournament with Colombia winning a 2-0 decision in Group A. However, the Americans rebounded from that defeat to come back and win the group. The USA is playing this match after losing 4-0 to the world’ stop-ranked team Argentina in the semifinals on Tuesday night while Colombia was beaten 2-0 by fifth-ranked Chile.
USA vs Colombia – Pinnacle Soccer Betting Line:
- Pinnacle currently lists Colombia as the favorite to win in 90 minute match at +146 with the USA +196 and a draw at +262
USA vs Colombia – Head to Head:
- These two sides met in the opening game of the tournament back on June 3rd with Colombia taking a 2-0 win in their Group A contest. These two nations have met a total of 18 times in the past with Colombia winning 12, losing three and drawing the other three.
USA – A Closer Look:
The USA is currently ranked 31st in the world by FIFA and the squad consists of a good mixture of youth and veterans. The key players for manager Jurgen Klinsmann are 28-year-old Michael Bradley of Toronto FC and 33-year-old team captain Clint Dempsey of the Seattle Sounders. Other top players include Christian Pulisic, Darlington Nagbe, goaltender Brad Guzan, and defenders Fabian Johnson, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron and DeAndre Yedlin. Jermaine Jones, Bobby Wood and Alejandro Bedoya are all back in the lineup after sitting out a one-game ban against Argentina.
After dropping their opening group match to Colombia 2-0, the USA managed to beat Costa Rica 4-0 four days later and then edge Paraguay 1-0. This game them six points to top Group A. They edged Ecuador 2-1 in the quarterfinals before running into a red-hot Argentina squad and losing 4-0 in the semifinals in Houston. A third-place finish at this tournament would represent the best ever Copa America finish for the Americans as their previous best was fourth place.
Colombia – A Closer Look:
Colombia has a strong side and is currently ranked number three in the world by FIFA and is a global powerhouse. The squad features some true stars such as James Rodriguez, Juan Cuadrado and Carlos Bacca while netminder David Ospina of English Premier League club Arsenal is no slouch either. The Colombians are also quite a youthful team with just four players at the age of 30 or older. However, Bacca has struggled in the tournament with an injury and it looks like Rodriguez will miss this game since he needs to undergo shoulder surgery when it’s over. Roger Martinez could end up replacing him in the lineup. If manager Jose Pekerman does have a weakness in his side, it’s probably in the back four. The team didn’t fare too well at the 2015 Copa America as they scored just one goal in the event.
Colombia opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over the USA then edged Paraguay 2-1. They were upset 3-2 in their final game and this enabled the Americans to take top spot in the group while Colombia settled for the runner-up position. Colombia managed to beat Peru 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals after the match ended in a 0-0 draw. They then lost 2-0 to Chile in Chicago in the semifinals and their hope of winning a second Copa America title was dashed.
USA vs Colombia – Takeaway:
The winner of this match will take third-place in 2016 Copa America Centenario tournament. If the game is level after 90 minutes it will be decided by a penalty shootout.
By Ian Palmer