It’s with great sadness that our summer of soccer 2019 draws to a close. The USWNT lifted the World Cup, Brazil triumphed on home soil at the Copa América, Mexico reclaimed the Gold Cup and we’re into the final week of the Africa Cup of Nations. Unless you’re eagerly anticipating the ICC, our glorious summer is at an end.
Last night in Belo Horizonte, Brazil defeated Argentina 2-0 to advance to the final of the 2019 Copa América, thus prolonging Lionel Messi’s wait for a crowning glory in international play.
The match was a real humdinger, featuring a Seleção side frightening in both defense and attack and an Albiceleste unit that didn’t make playing cohesive football look like an impossible task. This was probably the best Argentina’s looked since 2016.
Brazil secured passage to the 2019 Copa América Final in Rio de Janeiro with a 2-0 victory over Argentina on Tuesday, marking another low point in the calamitous international career of Lionel Messi.
To be fair to Messi and his compatriots, Brazil was the massive favorite in this one, and the squad features a defense that’s now gone 450 minutes without conceding a goal. In attack, the likes of Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and the ageless Dani Alves put on a show, mastering a La Albiceleste side that played its best game of the tournament.
The stage is set for the most eagerly anticipated match of the 2019 Copa América: It’s a semifinal showdown between eternal South American rivals Brazil and Argentina at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte. 64,000 will be willing the home side to victory and the final, but standing in the Seleção’s way is that man Lionel Messi.
With the draw finished on Jan. 24, the hype surrounding the 2019 Copa América in Brazil can begin in earnest. The storylines are plentiful: Can Chile three-peat? Can Neymar inspire Brazil on home soil? Can Lionel Messi, freshly returned to the Albiceleste setup, finally achieve international glory? It’s can’t-miss viewing, so here’s how to watch the 2019 Copa America.
According to SPORT, a Spanish daily based in Barcelona, Neymar has agreed on personal terms to return to the Camp Nou on a five-year deal that includes a massive pay cut to his current salary. The 27-year-old currently earns $41 million per year with PSG, but he’s willing to rejoin Barça for around $27 million.
Yesterday, in a must-win game against Qatar, Lionel Messi did something that was very uncharacteristic of him. With the opportunity to seal the game for Argentina and secure a place in the knockout rounds of the Copa América, he skied an open shot into the stands.
This Messi miss ... pic.twitter.com/5eD5XIziDB
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 23, 2019
France’s 2-1 extra time victory over Brazil in Le Havre may well have spelled the end of Marta’s glorious World Cup career. The six-time FIFA World Player of the Year extended her all-time World Cup goalscoring record to 17 with two penalties in the group stage, but for the second consecutive tournament, Brazil crashed out at the Round of 16.
Last night, a meeting between Uruguay — eighth-ranked in the world and perhaps the biggest threat to Brazil’s Copa América quest on home soil — and Ecuador was dominated by La Celeste. First half goals from Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani and Nicolás Lodeiro effectively decided the match, especially so since Ecuador was reduced to 10-men in the 24th minute following a José Quinteros red card.
The opening goal from Lodeiro in the sixth minute was excellent, featuring a pinpoint cross from Suárez and a three-touch masterpiece from the Seattle Sounders attacker.