The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Copa America

  • Marta scores stunner as Brazil retain Copa America

    Marta scores stunner as Brazil retain Copa America

    Marta scored two late goals as Brazil defended their Copa America Femenina title with a penalty shootout victory over Colombia.

    A pulsating final in Quito, Ecuador, saw Colombia take the lead three times only for Brazil to peg them back on each occasion.

    Real Madrid forward Linda Caicedo gave Colombia a first-half lead with a low, close-range finish, before Angelina equalised from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time.

    Brazil defender Tarciane scored a bizarre own goal when her attempted back pass went straight past goalkeeper Lorena, before Amanda Gutierres controlled a cross with her chest and volleyed into the bottom corner to level the score once more.

    Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez thought she had scored a late winner for Colombia, but late substitute Marta rifled in a superb equaliser from long range in the sixth minute of injury time.

    The 39-year-old retired from international football after Brazil won silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but manager Arthur Elias recalled her to his squad for pre-tournament friendlies in May.

    Six-time FIFA Player of the Year Marta gave Brazil their first lead of the day midway through extra time when she connected with a teasing cross, only for Colombia midfielder Leicy Santos to curl a free-kick into the top corner and force penalties.

    Read Also: Rio Olympics: Disu charges NFF to speak up over unpaid loans

    Both sides scored four of their opening six penalties – Marta had the chance to win it but saw her effort saved by Katherine Tapia.

    The shootout went to sudden death with Brazil goalkeeper Lorena saving from Jorelyn Carabali to secure victory.

    “I think women’s soccer has been growing a lot. I think the trend is for it to be more competitive. Everyone here deserved a match like this. Congratulations to Colombia too,” Brazil’s Amanda Gutierres said.

    “This means a lot. I think it’s Brazil’s job – it’s that mentality of never giving up. That’s a source of pride for Brazil. I think it means a lot to Brazilians.”

  • US to host Brazil for friendly ahead of Copa America

    US to host Brazil for friendly ahead of Copa America

    The United States men’s national soccer team will host Brazil in an international friendly as part of their preparations for this year’s Copa America on home soil, U.S. Soccer said.

    The U.S. will take on Colombia at the FedExField in Landover, Maryland on June 9 before facing five-times World Cup winners Brazil at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium on June 12.

    The Copa America will run from June 20 to July 14 and feature 32 matches and 16 participating teams – 10 from CONMEBOL and six from CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.

    Read Also: Ángel Di María retires from int’l football after Copa America

    “When you talk about wanting to challenge ourselves against the best teams in the world, you can’t ask for much better than Brazil,” U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter said in a statement.

    The U.S. will face Bolivia and Panama in their first two Copa America Group C matches before taking on Uruguay.

  • Messi to Miss World Cup qualifier after tongue-lashing referees

     

    Argentina forward and five time Ballon d Or winner Lionel Messi has lampooned referees insisting “they don’t allow people enjoy football.

    Although the Barcelona talisman is not making a blanket condemnation of all whistle men his outburst came during the recently concluded Copa America which Brazil won after beating Peru 3-1.

    Fourteen time champions Argentina failed in their bid to claim a 15th title but claimed the third place beating Chile 2-1 in a tensed encounter.

    Messi received a red card and automatic ejection during Argentina’s third-place win against Chile July 6 in Brazil. He received the card after bumping chests with Chile’s Gary Medel.

    The two time UEFA men’s player of the year winner believed the referee was partial handing him a red when a yellow for both of them would have sealed the issue describing the act as part of corruption in the game.

    “We do not need to be part of the corruption that we have suffered at this tournament,” Messi told reporters after the Chile game. “Medel is always right at the limit. With a yellow that would have been the end of it for both of us, but well, maybe what I said recently had an impact.

    “What is important is that the team finished well in the tournament. Maybe this was ordered and I ended up suffering because of what I said.

    “Sadly, the corruption, the referees, they don’t allow people to enjoy football.”

    CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation while imposing a fine of $1,500 on Messi and suspending him from Argentina’s first match of the 2022 World cup qualifier, insisted nobody is being hunted, adding

    “In football sometimes you win and sometimes lose and a fundamental pillar of fair play is to accept the results with loyalty and respect,” CONMEBOL said. “The same goes for refereeing decisions, which are human and will always be improvable.

    “It is unacceptable that as a result of incidents typical in competitions, involving 12 teams, all on equal terms, unfounded accusations have been launched that lack the truth and question the integrity of the Copa America.

    “These accusations represent a lack of respect for the competition, all the participating players and the hundreds of professionals of Conmebol, an institution that since 2016 has been working tirelessly to make transparent, professionalize and develop South American football.”

  • Messi must accept ‘when he loses’ – Tite

    Brazil coach Tite has criticised Lionel Messi for his complaints against the Copa America refereeing.

    Brazil beat Messi’s Argentina lineup in the semifinals and clinched the title Sunday with a 3-1 win over Peru for their first Copa since 2007 and ninth overall.

    “He has to have more respect and needs to accept when he loses,” said Tite, who had praised the Argentine playmaker ahead of the semifinals.

    Messi boycotted the medal ceremony after Argentina beat Chile in the third-place game on Saturday. He said he was protesting against the refereeing and “corruption” in the Copa America.

    Messi and Chile’s Gary Medel were red carded after their physical confrontation in the first half.

    Messi said afterward that Argentina was not treated fairly and hinted that Brazil was benefiting as a result.

    Read Also: Messi sent off as Argentina beat Chile to win Copa America bronze

    Tite said he didn’t think Messi should have been sent off against Chile and that a yellow card would have been enough.

    “You have to have a little more respect and be careful,” Tite said. “We played clean against Argentina. Messi was unfairly sent off against Chile. It was a yellow card. But be careful.”

    Brazil captain Dani Alves said that the comments by his former Barcelona teammate shouldn’t take away from Brazil’s win.

    “I do not agree with what [Messi] said. Here we have professional players who have worked a lot in this competition and who have fought for it.

    “Deservedly [Brazil] eliminated [Argentina in the semifinal]. This is a very special achievement. We do not have to think about what other people say, even if it’s Messi.”

    (ESPN)

  • Copa America: Soap opera actress offers kiss incentive

     

    A kiss that will last the distance awaits any member of the Peruvian squad who seals victory for Peru against Chile in the semifinal of the Copa America .

    The unusual but special incentive is coming from a popular Peruvian soap actress Stephanie Cayo.

    Peru are considered underdogs in the fixture in some quarters but Cayo believes her country men can go the extra mile to carry the day in Porto Alegre.

    “We want to give a kiss to the Peru national team. I’m seriously thinking about offering a kiss (obviously with permission) to whoever is responsible for beating Chile “the 31-year-old actress wrote on Twitter to her almost 800,000 followers which generated 8,000 likes and more than 7,000 comments.

    Caro who is well known in Peru and Columbia added on Instagram that she was “offering my grain of sand” towards Peru victory.

    Peru who are two time winners of the Copa America last won the title in 44 years ago and Cayo who was born way after the last victory in 1975 is eager to see her countrymen lift the trophy in her presence.

    The country first won the title in 1939. This is the third time in the last four editions that they have reached the semifinals.

    Chile on their part have won the last two Copa editions, on home soil in 2015 and then the Centenario tournament in the United States a year later.

    The winner of Thursday’s semifinal tie will face Brazil in Sunday’s final at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil defeated Argentina 2-0 to book a place in the final. Uruguay are the highest winners of the Copa America with 15 titles in the kitty. Brazil who are already waiting for their Sunday opponents are searching for their 9th title haven won 8 editions previously.

     

  • Chile’ll claim world’s best if they beat Germany

    Chile’ll claim world’s best if they beat Germany

     

    Arturo Vidal believes Chile will stake a claim of being the best international side around if they lift the Confederations Cup on Sunday.

    Vidal and his team-mates are aiming to continue a golden era for La Roja, who had never won a major honour until they beat Argentina on penalties in the final of the 2015 Copa America.

    With current boss Juan Antonio Pizzi at the helm, having succeeded Jorge Sampaoli, they repeated the feat at the Copa America Centenario last year.

    Another shootout victory this week over Portugal set up a meeting with world champions Germany in St Petersburg and Vidal said claims by Alexis Sanchez and Mauricio Isla that Chile were aiming for a position at the top of the elite was not idle talk.

    “I do agree with Mauricio and Alexis because we are not just saying it, we’ve shown it against every single national team we’ve played against,” the Bayern Munich midfielder told a pre-match news conference at Krestovsky Stadium.

    “We beat Argentina, who is one of the best national teams, two years in a row and Portugal, who are the European Champions, three days ago. And if we win tomorrow [Sunday] I think we would be the best national team in the world.

    “I don’t think any of us have the possibility of a defeat in our minds. We’re optimistic for winning any challenge ahead and we are just looking forward to giving our best. I don’t think about defeat.”

    Such a stance echoed the stir Vidal caused when he claimed the Under-20 World Cup side he played in alongside the likes of Sanchez, Isla and Gary Medel could win the real thing after a third-place finish in 2007.

    “I remember clearly when I spoke those words and everybody was slightly scared by what we were saying,” he recalled.

    “We had Alexis, Mauricio, Gary and others. Our effort has helped us to reach this final in the Confederations Cup.

    “This is the waiting room for the World Cup and if we win against Germany it sends a clear message to the other teams that we are going [to the World Cup] to win it, even though we still need to qualify.”

  • Sanchez attends unveiling of his statue

    Sanchez attends unveiling of his statue

     

    Alexis Sanchez might not be the most popular figure at Arsenal at the moment, but he remains the centre of attention for the all the right reasons in Chile.

    The Gunners forward, who is expected to leave the Emirates after turning down a lucrative new contract, returned to his home city of Tocopilla to help unveil a statue of himself on Friday.

    A large crowd turned out to see Sanchez cut a ribbon as the colorful effigy of him wearing a full Chile kit was revealed to the public.

    As well as the statue of Sanchez himself, a large Arsenal crest and those of his former clubs are displayed on either side. A sculpture of the Copa America trophy Chile won in 2015 also sits proudly at the front.

    The unveiling went ahead despite vandals damaging the crest of Chilean side Colo Colo, where Sanchez spent the 2006-07 season on loan.

    The 28-year-old also posed with Hollywood Walk of Fame-style handprints and footprints.

    According to reports, Sanchez wrote this message to sit alongside his handprints: ‘Never feel sad because someone tells you [that] you can’t do something in your life. If you have a dream you have to protect it.’

    Sanchez only attended the unveiling for a short time, but he appeared in a far better mood after throwing a tantrum during Chile’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina on Thursday.

    The former Barcelona man was pictured shouting and tugging at his shirt during the World Cup qualifier, which saw Lionel Messi score the only goal from the penalty spot.

    Chile now sit sixth in the South American qualifying table, one point off an automatic spot for the 2018 tournament in Russia

  • StarTimes gets Copa America broadcast right

    StarTimes gets Copa America broadcast right

    StarTimes has acquired exclusive broadcast right for the Copa America Special Centenario edition all over Africa.

    This edition, which commemorates the 100th existence of Copa America, is slated for June 3 through 26 in the United States of America.

    Thirty-two countries will compete in games across 10 cities. Aside enjoying superstars like Lionel Messi, Luiz Suarez, SergiAguero, Sanchez and others in action, StarTimes viewers stand the chance to predict and win fantastic prizes; cash, LED Digital Television with inbuilt decoders, Projector Television sets, telcom recharge cards and other prizes.  There will be programmes on radio, television, online, on StarTimes App and social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter through which Nigerians can participate and win.

    The Copa America 2016 will be enjoyed exclusively on StarTimes sports channels, including ST World Football (Channel 254) and ST Sports Focus (Channel 250), all on StarTimes digital terrestrial and digital satellite platforms.

    Marketing Director, StarTimes Nigeria, OludareKafar, said:  “StarTimes is excited to bring Copa America Special Centenario edition onto the platform and believes the matches will provide sport-loving subscribers with some high quality entertainment.”