Two weeks ago, I previewed Groups A and B of the upcoming Copa America Centenario. Let's keep the preview party rolling with Groups C and D.
Group C
Mexico
With apologies to Costa Rica and with a nod towards the USMNT's mediocrity of the last year or so, Mexico is the class of CONCACAF and the class of this group. They've won eight in a row, and are unbeaten in their last 18 matches. That's just jaw-dropping, and a far cry from a squad that just barely qualified for the 2014 World Cup.
Chicharito, Andres Guardado, and Hector Moreno are all in the squad, and it's a fairly easy group. Look for El Tri to go far in this tournament.
Uruguay
If anyone can give Mexico a run for their money, it is Uruguay, who is actually ranked higher than Mexico in the FIFA rankings (9th vs. 16th) and, a third of the way through 2018 World Cup qualifying, Uruguay tops the CONMEBOL table. Unlike Mexico, however, they've sprinkled in some losses over their last dozen results, and they've been disappointing in their last two major tournament results (round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup, quarterfinals in the 2015 Copa America).
They will have Luis Suarez, and the Barcelona star alone gives Uruguay a shot at winning the group.
Jamaica
The Reggae Boyz are perhaps the most enigmatic team in this tournament. Consider their resume over the last year:
The good:
* Runner-Up finish in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
* Won at Chile in their latest match.
The bad:
* Three wins in their last nine matches.
* Included in that, a blowout loss in South Korea and a home loss to Nicaragua.
If Jamaica is going to get out of the group stage, they will need a better strike rate out of their forwards, who collectively have just 5 goals in 28 caps in international competition.
Venezuela
Yes, Venezuela is a baseball country. But a few years back, they showed some competence on the football pitch. They made the semifinals of the 2011 Copa America, and were the last team out on CONMEBOL 2014 World Cup qualifying.
Those days are long gone, and Venezuela is back to being the pits of South American soccer. They've won but 1 of their last 14 matches. Included in those results is a draw against the Spanish "state" of Galicia. I'm not sure if that's impressive or terrible.
With all of the bad news coming out of Venezuela lately, though, I'll sure be pulling for them.
Group D
Argentina
It seems strange with the big time successes of Germany and Spain in the last few years, but Argentina is actually ranked No. 1 in the world right now. Surprising on the other end of the coin is how they have won neither the World Cup nor the Copa America since 1993, although they were runner-up in both those competitions last time around.
They've only played three times in 2016, winning them all as well as their last match of 2015. Before that, they went winless in their previous four matches. I'm not really sure this is actually the best squad in the world (though they will have Lionel Messi and all of their usual heavy hitters) and I would not be surprised to see Chile pip them for tops in the group.
Chile
Chile is currently ranked third in the world, and it's a bit nuts they are in the same group that has the #1 ranked squad. Argentina and Chile open group play against each other on June 6th, and you're not going to want to miss that.
The Chileans are the team that beat Argentina for the 2015 Copa America title, their first. Argentina got their revenge in Santiago March 24th in a World Cup qualifier. Indeed, Chile has won just one of their last five, and that includes the aforementioned embarrassing loss to Jamaica. If I'm unsure that Argentina is truly tops in the world, I'm equally unsure if Chile is third, but they should both coast into the knockout round.
Panama
I've written about how the U.S., Mexico, and Costa Rica challenge each other for CONCACAF supremacy, but quietly, Panama has made at least the semifinals in the last three CONCACAF Gold Cups. On the other side of the coin, they've never qualified for a World Cup.
While it seems like everyone else is coming into the tournament either blistering hot or ice cold, Panama has won four out of their last eight. They have no players in the big European Leagues, but a decent amount in the top Latin American leagues. Player to watch: Harold Cummings, a great defender who has already been capped 44 times for Panama even though he just turned 24.
Bolivia
In Bolivia, we have the lowest ranked team in the tournament (79th) and that's probably deserved. They have lost 9 of their last 10 (the lone win was against almost-as-bad Venezuela), and in those 9 losses, 7 were by two goals or more. They were just ripped 4-0 by the U.S, and one might think of them as the other team in the Americas, besides Mexico, that wears green jerseys. If they get even a point in the tourney, it will be a major shock.
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