adminSANTIAGO. – If Brazil are to win their fifth Copa America soccer title in seven editions, they are going to have to do it the hard way. The South American superpower decided on Monday not to appeal a four-game ban handed to star striker and captain Neymar for violent conduct, meaning they will have to do without him for the knock-out stages.
What’s more, they are in a loaded draw that conspiracy theorists might be tempted to suggest had been fixed to help hosts Chile reach the final.
Argentina, Colombia and Brazil, the teams ranked third to fifth in the FIFA world rankings are all in the same side of the draw, while on the other side you find the likes of 61st ranked Peru up against 89th placed Bolivia.
In fairness, Chile (19th) are actually drawn in their quarter-final against the highest ranked team in their half, Uruguay, the defending champions ranked eighth by FIFA.
And it is Argentina and Colombia who have been hardest hit, as the two highest ranked sides face each other in the last eight.
Whichever negotiates that clash of the titans, they will expect to find Brazil in the semis as the Selecao are up against Paraguay.
Paraguay may have reached the final four years ago, just a year after making it to the World Cup quarter-finals, but they have been in freefall since, failing to reach last year’s World Cup and dropping to 85th in the world.
Ranked 15th after their World Cup 2010 exploits, Paraguay won only four out of 19 international matches from the beginning of 2013 until this tournament started.- AFP.
Online Reporter