Copa America 2016: Times, Odds, Live Stream and TV Schedule for Saturday's Group
After Friday’s curtain-raiser between hosts United States and Colombia, the Copa America Centenario will settle into a rhythm on Saturday, with a trio of fascinating games to whet the appetite.
Brazil will get their tournament under way in the final game of the day, as Dunga’s depleted squad face an in-form Ecuador team. Costa Rica take on Paraguay in the first match, with an intriguing clash between outsiders Haiti and Peru lodged in between.
It’s a chance for the teams involved to make a significant statement about their ambitions for the Copa, and three points will go a long way to securing qualification for the quarter-finals. Here’s a look at the day’s fixtures in full, the key viewing details for the contest and a closer examination of how the bookmakers are seeing things in this triumvirate of clashes.
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| 5 p.m. | A | Costa Rica vs. Paraguay | 14-5 | 21-10 | 11-8 |
| 7:30 p.m. | B | Haiti vs. Peru | 11-2 | 11-4 | 7-10 |
| 10 p.m. | B | Brazil vs. Ecuador | 6-7 | 13-5 | 4-1 |
Matches are on Premier Sports (UK) and FOX Sports (U.S.).
Matches can be streamed via FOX Soccer 2 Go (U.S.) and the Premier Sports Player (UK).
Odds courtesy of Oddschecker and accurate as of 4 p.m. (BST) on June 4.
Big Names Looking for Fast Start
Brazil’s decision to leave Neymar out of their squad for this tournament suggests they may not be taking the centenary edition of the Copa quite as seriously as they would usually.
Things look as though they’re going to be tough for the Selecao, too. Not only are they set to be missing their talisman and captain, but their midfield lynchpin Luiz Gustavo will also sit out the tournament due to personal reasons; Douglas Costa, Rafinha, Ricardo Oliveira, Ederson and Kaka have also pulled out.
Nevertheless, as noted by South American football journalist Rupert Fryer, one thing Dunga can call upon is strength in depth:
Ecuador will feel as though they have a chance to spring something of a shock, though. La Tri have been in superb form coming into this tournament, surging to the summit of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying and now only trailing Uruguay on goal difference.
Manager Gustavo Quinteros will be a little concerned with his team’s display against the United States in their last friendly encounter, when they looked toothless losing 1-0. However, in the big matches since the previous Copa, Ecuador have turned up, with impressive wins over the likes of Uruguay and Argentina.
Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thinks La Tri are among the best sides at this year’s tournament:
Costa Rica and Paraguay are both outsiders for the title, but they are teams that could thrive should they pick up a win in their opener.
The latter have a strong recent pedigree when it comes to the competition, too. Paraguay made it to the semi-finals in 2015 and the final in 2011, showcasing the kind of big-game intelligence that’s vital at this level. Manager Ramon Diaz will be relying on experienced men like Justo Villar and Paulo da Silva to provide that attribute.
They also have some exciting young players capable of causing problems in the final third. Derlis Gonzalez, a 22-year-old wide player, is one:
Costa Rica will be vulnerable, too. While they can call upon establish players like Bryan Ruiz, Bryan Oviedo and Joel Campbell, their star man Keylor Navas will miss the tournament in what is a huge blow to their chances. These numbers from Squawka Football show just how important he can be in pressure scenarios:
The day’s middle game may be the least glamorous of the three, but it’ll still be a fascinating tussle. Ricardo Gareca brings Peru to the Copa, having decided against calling on experienced men like Claudio Pizarro, Jefferson Farfan and Juan Manuel Vargas, putting his faith in a young team spearheaded by regular goal-getter Paolo Guerrero.
Haiti are an intriguing prospect, too. The Caribbean nation are arguably the weakest of all the teams involved on paper, but they have made particularly encouraging progress as of late. They performed well at last summer’s Gold Cup, and in players like Soni Mustivar and Jeff Lewis, they have the quality to unpick defences.
