Pre-match: Copa América de 2019, Semifinal - Brasil x Argentina, 2 de Julho de 2019

Discussion in 'Brazil' started by Century's Best, Jun 28, 2019.

  1. Century's Best

    Century's Best Member+

    Jul 29, 2003
    USA
    [​IMG] vs. [​IMG]

    Location: Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto (Estádio Mineirão), Belo Horizonte

    [​IMG]
    Brazil roster:

    Goleiros

    Alisson (Roma-ITA)
    Cássio (Corinthians)
    Ederson (Manchester City-ING)


    Laterais

    Daniel Alves (PSG-FRA)
    Filipe Luís (Atlético de Madri-ESP)
    Alex Sandro (Juventus-ITA)
    Fágner (Corinthians)


    Zagueiros

    Miranda (Inter de Milão-ITA)
    Marquinhos (PSG-FRA)
    Thiago Silva (PSG-FRA)
    Éder Militão (Porto-POR)


    Meio-campistas

    Arthur (Grêmio)
    Allan (Napoli-ITA)
    Lucas Paquetá (Milan-ITA)
    Casemiro (Real Madrid-ESP)
    Fernandinho (Manchester City-ING)
    Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool-ING)
    Willian (Chelsea-ING)


    Atacantes

    Richarlison (PSG-FRA)
    Roberto Firmino (Liverpool-ING)
    Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City-ING)
    David Neres (Ajax-HOL)
    Everton (Grêmio)

    Having overcome the quarterfinal “jinx” of 2011 and 2015 with a hard-fought battle against the gritty Paraguayans, which resulted in a dramatic penalty kick shootout triumph, Brazil reaches the final four of the Copa América for the first time since 2007. Unbeaten in 4 Copa América 2019 matches, Brazil faces an old adversary who like Brazil has made its mark in international competitions, but which finds itself in a drastically different situation.

    Argentina reached the 2018 World Cup “aos trancos e barrancos,” a Brazilian way of saying “by the skin of their teeth.” In Russia, the Argentines floundered in the group stage with 1 draw, 1 loss, and 1 win – the exact same scenario it had the current tournament’s group stage. Unlike Brazil, Argentina did not properly rebuild in the 2014-2018 interim, and since the last World Cup, Argentina has struggled to transition to the next cycle, with a number of veterans leaving the roster and no established manager accepting the job. Lionel Scaloni took his team to the semifinals with a scrappy 2-0 victory over the surging Venezuelans, but his team today is reminiscent of the 2018 World Cup team: strong offense but a limited midfield and a very questionable back line.

    Brazil will have Casemiro back to add muscle to the midfield, which should definitely be a plus for this fixture. Argentina’s rear line and midfield have been quite lacking in this tournament, and with either Allan or Arthur deployed alongside Casemiro, Argentina is likely to be hard-pressed to foul the Brazilian midfield. Yellow cards would only put pressure on the visitors.

    For Brazil, while this rivalry is bitter and deep, the significance of this match is not just another chapter in a more than 100-year-old series of confrontations. Brazil seeks redemption from both 2014 and 2018; the former, because the title was not won at home; the latter, because Brazil was better prepared than it was in 2014 and morale was very high following a stellar WCQ campaign. Thus, while Scaloni is learning the ropes and likely to lose his job after this tournament, Tite needs the title to recover the political capital he built during WCQ and partially lost at Belgium’s hands. Bragging rights and trash talk are inseparable from any Brazil vs. Argentina fixture, all the more one in a knockout round, but the context within which both teams meet on this occasion must not be ignored.

    A sub-plot of this story is Everton vs. Armani. In 2018. Everton, playing for Grêmio, went on a counterattack and all but alone failed to score against the River Plate goalkeeper. Had the goal happened, Grêmio would have had a 2-0 lead over River and a 3-0 global score, all but assuring Grêmio’s spot in the final of the 2018 Libertadores.

    Club and country are different and distinct, but it’s inevitable that match and that play will be remembered by many.

    Brazil and Argentina have played Copa América matches on Brazilian soil six times, dating back to the 1919 South American Championship (the first held in Brazil), and Brazil is unbeaten vs. Argentina with 5 wins and 1 draw (0-0 on September 14, 1983). In 3 of the 4 times Brazil hosted and won the tournament, Brazil faced and defeated Argentina:

    3-1, 5/18/1919
    2-0, 10/15/1922
    2-0, 7/12/1989

    This last match is well-remembered not only because Brazil defeated Argentina en route to the title, but because it pitted two of the most iconic players of their time: Romário and Maradona. Romário, in one unforgettable play, passed the football between Maradona’s legs. Argentina was the defending World Cup champion, with 6 of the starters from the final vs. West Germany starting vs. Brazil at the Maracanã (Pumpido, Brown, Ruggeri, Batista, Burruchaga, and Maradona). In contrast, Brazil’s roster for the tournament boasted 7 players (Taffarel, Mazinho, Branco, Bebeto, Romário, Aldair, and Dunga) who 5 years lifted another trophy: the World Cup.

    A peculiar statistic in this confrontation is that Argentina has not defeated Brazil in Copa América competition in regulation since 1991, when Argentina won 3-2. Since then it has either been a victory for Brazil or draws followed by PK shootouts; and, it was exactly on PKs since Argentina last bested Brazil in Copa América play (in 1993’s quarterfinals). Since then, Brazil eliminated Argentina on PKs (1995), won 2-1 in the 1999 quarterfinals, and beat Argentina for the title in 2004 (PKs) and in 2007 (3-0).

    The following was the starting XI deployed by Lionel Scaloni for his team’s quarterfinal win vs. Venezuela:
    Armani; Foyth, Pezzella, Otamendi, and Tagliafico; Paredes, Acuña, and De Paul; Messi; Agüero and Lautaro Martínez.
     
  2. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Filipe Luis doubtful.
     
  3. omajac

    omajac Member+

    Feb 9, 2002
    East Orange, New Jersey, USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Another semifinal in Belo Horizonte!!:(:unsure:
     
  4. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Their right side seems to be a really weak spot. Everton can have a field day if he is not doubled.
     
  5. Kaka10725

    Kaka10725 Member+

    Jun 1, 2007
    I would start Willian. I think he can trouble Argentina.
     
  6. omajac

    omajac Member+

    Feb 9, 2002
    East Orange, New Jersey, USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    And bring Gabriel Jesus on later in case it's still scoreless!!
     
  7. omajac

    omajac Member+

    Feb 9, 2002
    East Orange, New Jersey, USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Is Richarlison still out with the mumps?
     
  8. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Filipe Luis and Ferndandinho seem to be training normally.
     
  9. Mengão86

    Mengão86 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Flamengo
    Brazil
    Nov 16, 2005
    Maryland, RJ/ES/PE
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    [​IMG]

    Looks like the Pofexô agrees with me lol.
     
    Emperor Adriano repped this.
  10. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    I saw that program yesterday . His favorite line is havin players break lines with dribbling . Easier said than done when the other team defends with 2 collapsed lines of 5 and 4.
     
  11. Mengão86

    Mengão86 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Flamengo
    Brazil
    Nov 16, 2005
    Maryland, RJ/ES/PE
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    That was how it used to be done back in the day. It's definitely harder to do nowadays.
     
  12. Emperor Adriano

    Emperor Adriano Member+

    Jun 17, 2009
    Utica NY (the refugee city)
    Club:
    Santos FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    i think dribbling is the best way to beat any bunker or deep defensive line. luxa is right
     
  13. Emperor Adriano

    Emperor Adriano Member+

    Jun 17, 2009
    Utica NY (the refugee city)
    Club:
    Santos FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    The great and powerful Luxa.
     
  14. SiempreCrema

    SiempreCrema Moderator
    Staff Member

    Deportivo Independiente Miraflores
    Peru
    Feb 4, 2015
    Club:
    Universitario de Deportes
    Nat'l Team:
    Peru
    I am not here to troll by any means, but I find it interesting that 2 of Brazil's 4 home losses ever have been in Belo Horizonte for semi finals. 1975 against Peru and 2014 against Germany.

    We will see if that curse is lifted tonight! :D
     
  15. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Vamo passar o trator nos Argentinos.

    1 x 0

    :ROFLMAO:
     
  16. Mengão86

    Mengão86 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Flamengo
    Brazil
    Nov 16, 2005
    Maryland, RJ/ES/PE
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
  17. Mengão86

    Mengão86 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Flamengo
    Brazil
    Nov 16, 2005
    Maryland, RJ/ES/PE
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
  18. Kaka10725

    Kaka10725 Member+

    Jun 1, 2007
    I’m getting tired of this stubbornness from our managers.
     
  19. omajac

    omajac Member+

    Feb 9, 2002
    East Orange, New Jersey, USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    And it's on a Tuesday night again!!:x3::confused:
     
  20. omajac

    omajac Member+

    Feb 9, 2002
    East Orange, New Jersey, USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    If Tite ********s up tonight and we suffer another loss it's been 20 years, do we give Luxembourgo another chance?
     
  21. Kaka10725

    Kaka10725 Member+

    Jun 1, 2007
    Jesus is completely wasted out wide
     
  22. Mengão86

    Mengão86 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Flamengo
    Brazil
    Nov 16, 2005
    Maryland, RJ/ES/PE
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    And scored when he went central lol
     
  23. samuel_clemens

    Dec 20, 2005
    Los Angeles CA
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    pofexo is right so far. Nutmeg by Coutinho and feints by Alves on the play.
     
  24. Kaka10725

    Kaka10725 Member+

    Jun 1, 2007
    Beautiful goal
     
  25. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Jesuuuuuuus !!!
     

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