Copa America 2011

[RoyalX]

Julio Cesar

[Compo's Hat]

Brazil are rocking well and truly, could be in for a dramatic 2nd half.

Any idea who wins the group should Brazil win 2-1?

[RoyalX]

Think it would be drawn by lots?

That's what the commentators were insinuating in the previous game about the possibility of Venezuela and Peru having the same points/goal difference/goals scored.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Drawing of lots is what'd split 'em in that case per wiki per CONMEBOL

Ecuador's gift leveller from Caicedo just seconds after ROFLobinho rounds off a deft raid up the other end with a rocket off the post

Three Ecuador shots in quick succession to bring the first half to a close, the first of which JC is made to save well

Brazil look a hot mess --this is really entertaining!

[RG30]

2-1 Brazil

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Just awesome stuff here!

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Don't blink

[Compo's Hat]

12 goals in one night, some managers are going to lose sleep over there defence!

QF draw
Colombia v Peru
Argentina v Uruguay
Brazil v Paraguay
Chile v Venezuela

Amazing to think after all the problems of qualifying that Argentina and Brazil would still avoid each other until the final should they both make it.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Same group that managed a goose egg in the opening round of play

Brazil the easier road to the final than Argentina or so I'm inclined to think --but can they keep the wheels on it

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Nilskis @ HT of the first quarterfinal

Not much in the way of incident, although Peru had a man carded for an overexuberant challenge less than a half a minute in

Colombia started the brighter, but Peru have settled nicely and have given just about as good as they've got

If scores are level after 90 minutes, they'll play 30 minutes of extra time before going to spot-kicks, which is the way pretty much the rest of the world does it but is new for this competition

[Compo's Hat]

If scores are level after 90 minutes, they'll play 30 minutes of extra time before going to spot-kicks, which is the way pretty much the rest of the world does it but is new for this competition

What did they used to do?

Would have backed Falcao to put that penalty away any day

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Used to be direct to pens, as here and here (see in particular Uruguay v. Brazil SF)

Awful pen --I've seen lefties hook 'em that wide on the deck, but never a guy w/his right leg-- but in any case the award was nigh farcical IMO

Falcao was offside when he redirected a cross/shot narrowly wide moments later, but I didn't see a flag up, and that was all part of the Colombians' best spell of the match (inc. woodwork), and now to extra time we go with two substitutions available to each side

Peru really could nick this

[Compo's Hat]

That Colombian keeper was an accident waiting to happen.

Looking forward to the next game, could be a cracker.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

That Colombian keeper was an accident waiting to happen.

If I were he, I'd think about catching a plane out headed somewhere very far away from Bogota

In other news,

[RoyalChicagoFC]

HT, and you had to know there was no way this one would end with 11 on each side

Higuain strayed on Messi's free-kick so that one was rightly waved off, but I'm not seeing why the flag went up on the one down the other end that would have put Uruguay back in front

Hadn't known that Cavani's been out (knee) since HT of the second match in group play

Anyway 1-all and a bit weird seeing both of these sides in their change strips, but they're really getting after it

[Compo's Hat]

That was probably the best half of football we've seen so far. Either side could be ahead, Messi magic, offside goals, woodwork, goals and a sending off!

[RoyalChicagoFC]

So clutch, grab, clinch, hope for a sending off and roll dice on penalties has worked well enough for Uruguay thru a hundred minutes --although tbf they've looked more likely to score since before Mascherano picked up his second caution

[TBM]

Lovely stuff

Hosts are out

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Pretty amazing, and quite the ride

Muslera immense all nite

LOL @ Tevez

[Compo's Hat]

Really enjoyed that, Muslera was superb in goal. Have to fancy Uruguay over Peru in the semi final.

Argentina will need to have an inquest into their campaign, only beating an Under 23 Costa Rica side isn't really good enough from them.