Pre-match: United States vs Colombia, June 3, Santa Clara, California

I'll be there. Hope some of the younglings are playing...

 

Confirmed game time and tv info:

• June 3, 2016 6:30 PM PT (Friday) MNT vs Colombia Levi's Stadium; Santa Clara, Calif. Ticket Info FS1, Univision, UniMAS, UDN

http://www.ussoccer.com/mens-nation...opa-america-centenario/160603-mnt-v-col#tab-1

 

Really looking forward to this game (for the atmosphere as well as the match itself).

While Colombia may be the better team technically, a high-press, strong, physical game plan from us could make the game very difficult for them. Plus we will have home-field advantage (I expect a great US turnout for this game).

We all know James Rodriguez and Cuadrado. Who are some of the other danger men on Colombia?

 

Carlos Bacca, forward from AC Milan. Scored 20 goals for them this season........................

 

Any hints out there on how successful this tournament will be here in the USA? Can't say I've noticed any signs of it in everyday life. I know ticket prices were rather high, any idea how sales have been going? Hopefully this event is a huge success and captures some of the public's imagination.

 

That's great and all, but we have Bobby Wood, who tore up the 2nd Bundesliga this season...

And also, Jordan Morris, who has had at least 100 different pieces about him on MLSsoccer.com. So Colombia should be afraid, very afraid.

On a serious note, Colombia could easily be considered one of the favorites for this tournament. But I have a weird feeling we are going to start this tournament off by beating them...

 

The US tends to play pretty well against tournament "favorites."

 

They haven't poured much money into advertising that's for sure. Hopefully it ramps up on that front in the next 2 weeks - I would imagine the tournament will be very successful at the gates though.

 

If I had to predict a score, I'm gonna say 3-0 Colombia. If the US had a competent coach (keyword "competent") I could see the US winning 1-0.

Maybe they're not pouring much money into advertising, anticipating an early US exit from the tournament.

 

or maybe its just that those who the organizers want to know about the copa already do...and those who dont know about it....wouldnt be convinced to come with ads anyway.....so why waste money??

 

I've seen 3 ads for the tourney this evening. Three different teams repped.

 

I've been seeing the tournament promoted quite a bit on soccer telecasts, most particularly on Unimas, but otherwise, I've hardly seen a thing about it elsewhere.

 

I'll be there, as well. I expect a win.

 

Well, there was the radio ad I heard yesterday promoting US Stars Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore (Doh!), along with a horrible pronunciation of "goalazos"

 

I saw a Kobe advertisement online yesterday, but I still don't think I've seen a commercial on TV for the tournament yet.

 

Horvath
Yedlin Besler Brooks Johnson
Pulisic Cameron Bradley Nagbe
Wood Dempsey

 

Fox ran Kobe's promo on the main network today after the FA Cup and before the NYCFC-NYRB match. I've seen plenty of promotion for this tournament, but all of it has either been in Spanish, or during soccer-related telecasts. I haven't seen any Copa promotions during any other sporting event, sports show, non-sports programming, or whatever. Except on Spanish-language channels.

 

I can only assume that advertisers aren't interested in promoting it outside of soccer channels.

 

yeah I saw the Kobe one a few times during the game, but I'm with you that I haven't seen it on any other channels that show sports

 

On paper, we have one of the best starting defenses in the tournament:

Yedlin (Premiership)---Cameron(Premiership)----Brooks(Bundesliga)----Johnson(Bundesliga)

With 1 BuLi, 1 MX, and 2 MLSers on the bench.

By comparison, Colombia started their last qualifier with:

Arias(Eredivisie)----Zapata(Serie A)-----Jeison(Serie A)-----Diaz(Aguila*)

*Liga Aguila is the local Colombian league.

Paraguay's starting defender, last qualifier:

daSilva(MX)-----Gomez(PD Argentina)----Aguilar(MX)----Samudio(MX)

Basically a back line of MX-quality players.

Costa Rica's back line looks like this (again, from last qualifier):

Gamboa(Premiership)---Acosta(PD Costa Rica)---Duarte(La Liga)---Matarrita(MLS)


If we look at 'pedigree', and with the bounty of fairly defensive CMs, we may be a very tough nut to crack for any of the teams in competition.

 

I heard one yesterday, I think from StubHub, that pronounced it "guhlazos."