The 2015 Copa América will be the 44th time that the tournament has been played and it will be held in Chile between June 11th and July 4th. The Copa América is the oldest continental football tournament in the world. This will be the seventh time that Chile has hosted the tournament, the last coming back in 1991, and it is contested between the international teams that make up the CONMEBOL federation of South America.
Twelve teams will compete in the tournament with ten being from the CONMEBOL federation and the other two as guests from the CONCACAF federation. The guests are Mexico who have competed in the Copa América before and Jamaica who will be making their debut in the tournament.
The 12 teams have been drawn in to three different groups each consisting of four teams. Each team will play the other three teams in their group once during the first stage of the tournament with three points awarded for a win, one point for a draw and nothing for a defeat. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarterfinals along with the two best third placed teams.
From the quarterfinals onwards, it is a pure knockout format with the winners of each match progressing until two teams are remaining to contest the final. Extra-time and penalties will only be used if the teams cannot be separated after 90 minutes of play in the final while with the quarterfinals, semi-finals and third place play-offs, they will go straight to penalties after 90 minutes.
During the course of the tournament a total of nine different stadia will be used to stage the games and these are in Antofagasta, Vina del Mar, La Sarena, Valparaiso, Rancagua, Temuco, Concepcion and the capital city, Santiago. The final of the 2015 Copa América will be held at the Estadio Nacional, Santiago.
The defending Copa América champions are Uruguay who defeated Paraguay 3-0 in the final four years ago. This was the record-breaking 15th time that Uruguay had won the tournament, one ahead of Argentina. Interesting enough the most successful nations in Copa América history have been drawn together in Group B for the 2015 edition. The other teams making up the group are Paraguay, runners-up last time out, and Jamaica who are playing in the tournament for the first time.
Argentina manager Gerardo Martino will believe his team has what it takes to progress from this group and rightly so. With a squad packed full of household names including the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina will be hoping to do better than the quarterfinal stage they reached in 2011. During that tournament, in their own country, Argentina was knocked out on penalties by Group B opponent Uruguay.
【2011 Copa América: Argentina vs. Uruguay】
Argentina is just 2/7 with UK sportsbook Bet Victor to progress as group winners but Uruguay may have something to say about that. As defending champions, Uruguay poses a threat but the loss of Luis Suarez to a ban seriously reduces their chances of retaining their title. However, they should progress from the group comfortably in second place leaving Paraguay hoping for the best in third and Jamaica coming home in fourth.
【2015 Copa América Group B Winner Outright Odds】
※ Current Odds Date & Time: June 11, 2:00 a.m. (GMT)
Group A features the host nation, Chile. Yet to win the Copa América, Chile has perhaps their best chance of doing so this time around. Firstly, they have the benefit of home-field advantage and secondly, the current crop of players are capable of beating anyone on their day. Alexis Sanchez had a superb first season with Arsenal while Arturo Vidal and Claudio Bravo tasted great success at Juventus and Barcelona respectively.
With other talented players around them, Chile should easily claim top spot in their group and are 1/2 to do so with Bet Victor. Ecuador and Mexico will be competing to qualify in second place but injuries to key players such as Antonio Valencia for Ecuador and a squad made of mainly local players for Mexico means they will not be as strong as they could be. Bolivia will be looking to take advantage of Ecuador and Mexico’s loss but are unlikely to make it beyond the group stage.
【2015 Copa América Group A Winner Outright Odds】
※ Current Odds Date & Time: June 11, 2:00 a.m. (GMT)
Finally, Group C consists of Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. Despite their horror show in the World Cup semi-final against Germany, Brazil are still clear favorites to progress from this group at 8/13 with British bookie Bet Victor. Star man Neymar has been called up and will join a number of European based players including Willian, Thiago Silva and David Luiz. However, some first team players will be missing including Luis Gustavo, Marcelo and Oscar. There is still plenty of talent in the Brazil squad and one of their biggest tests of this tournament will be eliminating the memory of their World Cup humiliation.
【2014 FIFA World Cup: Brazil vs. Germany】
One of the teams that left the 2014 World Cup full of confidence is Colombia. Boasting a group of excellent attacking players in way of James Rodriguez, Juan Cuadrado, Carlos Bacca, Radamel Falcao and Jackson Martinez, Colombia has enough fire-power to trouble any team. Priced at 2/1 with Bet Victor, Colombia could be a good bet to cause an upset and win Group C. Peru have some exciting young players coming through in addition to the experience of Claudio Pizarro and Jefferson Farfan and could push Brazil and Colombia to the limit in their matches but a best placed third position is their likely route to the quarterfinals. Venezuela, the only team in the tournament never to play in a World Cup are going to struggle to match their fourth place finish in 2011 and will struggle to make it out of Group C.
【2015 Copa América Group C Winner Outright Odds】
※ Current Odds Date & Time: June 11, 2:00 a.m. (GMT)
With Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil and Colombia almost certain to progress to the knockout stages, the tournament’s top goal scorer is likely to come from one of these teams. The usual names are at the top of the list with Lionel Messi as favorite. However, after a long and successful season with Barcelona will Messi be at his best? Many people will suggest he has failed to deliver for Argentina in the past and could do so again in the 2015 Copa América. One name to keep an eye on is Radamel Falcao. The Colombian striker will be determined to put on a show after a disappointing season with Manchester United in the hope of impressing potential suitors such as Chelsea. Colombia has the potential to go all the way and at 14/1 with Bet Victor, Falcao is a good price to be the tournament’s top goal scorer.
【2015 Copa América Top Goalscorer Odds】
※ Current Odds Date & Time: June 11, 2:00 a.m. (GMT)
Back to the outright winner of the 2015 Copa América and the way the draw develops could have a major say in who makes it to the final.
Whichever team finishes as runners-up in Group A, probably Argentina or Uruguay, a quarterfinal against either Brazil or Colombia is the most likely outcome. The winner of Group A will meet a third placed finisher and that should mean a semi-final place. For the hosts Chile, the path to the semi-final is open but then a meeting with either Brazil or Colombia is likely.
At odds of 8/1 with Bet Victor, an Argentina vs. Colombia final is a distinct possibility but it all depends on where the teams finish in their group. In terms of overall squad quality and depth, you would have to say that Argentina is stronger than Colombia and Lionel Messi and Co. are 7/4 to lift the Copa América this year. However, at 6/1, Colombia represents much better value and have the goal scoring threat to go all the way.
【2015 Copa América Winner Outright Odds】
※ Current Odds Date & Time: June 11, 2:00 a.m. (GMT)
If Colombia goes all the way, it will be only the second time they have lifted the Copa América, the first time being back in 2001. Manager Jose Pekerman’s team will not have as favorable a draw as they did in that tournament 14 years ago. However, the Colombians definitely have the potential to outscore their opponents in an attempt to repeat their 2001 triumph.
