The long wait is finally over. The Copa America Centenario will kick off in just a few hours’ time and excitement is definitely building for this once-in-a-lifetime event. The best soccer nations from the Americas will converge in the United States as they battle it out in the world’s oldest continental competition.
Kicking things off this coming Saturday is a blockbuster clash between Costa Rica and Paraguay. Who will grab the advantage in this Group A clash? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this pivotal showdown and while you’re at it, you can check out our expert and sleeper picks for the Copa America Centenario.
Cash In on the Best Online Sportsbook Offers Now at TopBet!
Costa Rica will head to the Copa America with momentum on its side after recording a 2-1 victory against Venezuela in its final warm-up match on May 27. Cristian Gamboa and Ariel Rodriguez scored the winning goals for the Los Ticos who are in the midst of a two-match winning streak. They successfully avenged their 1-0 defeat to Venezuela last February, their only loss in their last eight outings. That great form bodes well for the Costa Ricans as they look to bounce back from their disappointing showing at last summer’s Gold Cup wherein they failed to rack up a single victory.
Much of the credit for Costa Rica’s turnaround should be given to head coach Oscar Ramirez. The 51-year-old Costa Rica legend began his head coaching stint with a 1-0 triumph against the United States last year then followed it by going undefeated in four consecutive World Cup qualifying matches against Haiti, Panama and Jamaica. Benefiting from Ramirez’ managerial acumen is Costa Rica’s attacking trio of Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell and Alvaro Saborio. They have scored a combined 66 goals for the La Sele.
The main concern for Ramirez in this tournament, however, is his injury-plagued defense. Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas will miss the Copa America due to an Achilles tendon problem. The onus then is on Alajuelense shot stopper Patrick Pemberton to be solid between the posts for Costa Rica. The 34-year-old made his debut for the national team in a September 2010 friendly against Jamaica and has earned a total of 24 caps for the La Sele. He will need to be at his best against a Paraguay side that hasn’t lost a group match in the previous two editions of the Copa America.
The last meeting between the two nations ended in a 0-0 stalemate, in an international friendly played at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on March 2015.
Costa Rica is pegged at +6,600to win the Copa America Centenario.
There are plenty of question marks surrounding Paraguay heading into the 2016 Copa America Centenario. The Los Guaraníes have managed just a single victory in their last six outings. Their erratic form stems from the fact that their squad is currently undergoing a major overhaul. Top goal scorer Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Raul Bobadilla have been axed from the squad as coach Ramon Diaz has decided to inject some young talent to his lineup in this tournament.
The pressure now is on Dario Lezcano to carry the scoring load for Paraguay. The 25-year-old Ingolstadt 04 striker has scored four goals in five appearances for Paraguay. Supporting Lezcano in this tournament will be the speedy duo of Oscar Romero and Gustavo Gomez. The 23-year-olds’ unique pace will be a crucial weapon for Paraguay in its Group A campaign here.
The Los Guaraníes have always been a defensive unit, though, and they will continue to rely on the experience and veteran leadership of goalkeeper Justo Villar to get them through in this tournament. He played a key role in Paraguay’s dream final run in the 2011 Copa America as well as their fourth-place finish in Chile last year. 36-year old defender Paulo da Silva, on the other hand, will still be the rock of the Paraguay backline. The captain is the side’s most experienced player with a whopping 134 caps under his name.
Paraguay is pegged at +8,000to win the Copa America Centenario.
