I mean, if this isn’t just the best night of the Copa America Centenario for neutrals. For the first time, two of the seeded teams will play on the same night, and conveniently, they’ve also been the two best teams in this tournament so far. Argentina and Mexico will try to join the United States and Colombia in the semifinals when they take the field against Venezuela and Chile respectively.
By almost any measure you use, Argentina are the top team in the world at the moment, and they’re playing in the earlier game, so we’ll start with them. La Albiceleste hands down have been the team to beat in this tournament, scoring 10 goals in their three games (the next closest teams have scored 7) while allowing a single lonely goal against. Interestingly, they’ll be facing the other team that has allowed just one tally in La Vinotinto.
By no means does that mean you should expect a defensive struggle. At least not on both sides. Venezuela has scored only three goals in as many games, which coincidentally, is the same number of goals that Argentina scored on them last time they met. That game was more than two years ago, in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, and it ended 3-0, giving the Argentines some measure of revenge for a 1-0 loss in Puerto La Cruz the previous October.
Look for Lionel Messi & Co. to have just about all of the ball as they prod the Venezuelan defense and Rafael Dudamel’s side looks to hit on the counter. Venezuela has already beaten Uruguay and tied Mexico (both in their match and on points), and they’ve split their last two meetings with Argentina, so this game might not be as one-sided as it could first appear.
In any event, this game should be of particular interest for USMNT fans, as that is who Juergen Klinsmann's suspension-riddled side will be facing in Houston on Tuesday.
Argentina vs. Venezuela
Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
Kick-off time: 7pm Eastern
Available TV: FX (English), Univision (Spanish). And, yes. You read that correctly. The game is on FX, not Fox or FS1.
Available streaming: Fox Sports Go & Fox Soccer 2 Go (English), Univision Deportes (Spanish)
For listings in other countries, check out LiveSoccerTV.com.
The nightcap features two of the more interesting teams to watch as a neutral in Mexico and Chile. Under Juan Carlos Osorio, el Tri have been on a 4-dimensional chess kick, basing their every decision around what their opponents will do. It’s worked for them, as they won their group and avoided Argentina until the semifinals. Chile, meanwhile, are no longer Marcelo "el Loco" Bielsa’s 2010 World Cup team, but they can still produce all kinds of problems for opponents through Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal.
And, oh yeah, Chile won the Copa America just last year while hosting the tournament.
But back to Mexico. When I say Mexico are in-form, what I mean is they haven’t lost a match of any kind in almost eleven months. Their last loss came last July in the gold medal game of the Pan Am games. Before that, their last loss was to Ecuador, in last year’s Copa America more than 11 months ago. Twenty-two games unbeaten. Outside of some iffy moments here and there, they haven’t much looked like losing in this edition of the showcase, even when saving an equalizer for late against Venezuela. They trail only Argentina in goal differential among teams still alive (PS Hi, Brazil!), and in the Bay Area, they’ll have the crowd behind them.
The winner will get Colombia next Wednesday night in Chicago.
Mexico vs. Chile
Location: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Cal.)
Kick-off time: 10pm Eastern
Available TV: FX (English), Univision (Spanish). And, yes. You’re still reading that correctly. The game is on FX, not Fox or FS1.
Available streaming: Fox Sports Go & Fox Soccer 2 Go (English), Univision Deportes (Spanish)
For listings in other countries, check out LiveSoccerTV.com.