Copa America Centenario draw: Argentina to meet Chile; USA stuck in difficult group
The puzzle is complete. The Copa America Centenario is fast approaching, and we finally have tangible matches on the horizon.
The tournament, expanded to celebrate the 100th anniversary of South America's oldest and most prestigious international competition, took shape on Sunday, with the 16 nations involved - from both CONMEBOL and CONCACAF - learning who will make up their group stage opponents this June in the United States.
Related: The Copa America will be great, but its revolutionary spirit is dead
The 45th edition of the Copa America, the first to be held outside of South America, offered a handful of enticing matches in the opening stage. The host Americans were placed in an exceedingly difficult Group A, while the most delicious contest will see last summer's finalist Argentina get a shot at redemption against defending champion Chile in Group D.
Here are the complete results from Sunday's Copa America Centenario draw:
Group A
Well, this could have gone slightly better for the United States.
Much-maligned manager Jurgen Klinsmann saw his side drawn against South American powerhouse Colombia, with James Rodriguez and his band of uber-talented attacking compatriots presenting the opposition for the opening match of the tournament on June 3.
Related: Twitter undecided on United States' chances after tough Copa America draw
Where the other three sections offer something of a reprieve outside of the consensus top-two teams, Group A delivered no such luxury for the United States, as Costa Rica and Paraguay round out what is quite comfortably the most difficult, and interesting, group of the competition.
"Very difficult but doable," Klinsmann said of the section. "This is what Copa America is all about."
Group schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 3 | United States vs. Colombia | Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara) |
| June 4 | Costa Rica vs. Paraguay | Citrus Bowl (Orlando) |
| June 7 | United States vs. Costa Rica | Soldier Field (Chicago) |
| June 7 | Colombia vs. Paraguay | Rose Bowl (Pasadena) |
| June 11 | United States vs. Paraguay | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) |
| June 11 | Colombia vs. Costa Rica | NRG Stadium (Houston) |
Group B
If you listen closely, you can likely hear the sound of Neymar and Enner Valencia clinking champagne glasses. (Neymar is travelling to London for the Champions League this week, they could make it work logistically).
Brazil, and to a lesser extent Ecuador, will be heavily favored to emerge from what looks, at least on paper, like the weakest section in the tournament. The two sides open their respective competition against one another, which could put the loser of that match - if there is one - immediately in a scramble to qualify for the knockout stages, but based on sheer talent alone (and Ecuador's imperious form in 2018 World Cup qualifying) Group B should be dominated by bright yellow kits.
Crazier things have happened, of course.
Group schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 4 | Brazil vs. Ecuador | Rose Bowl (Pasadena) |
| June 4 | Haiti vs. Peru | CenturyLink Field (Seattle) |
| June 8 | Brazil vs. Haiti | Citrus Bowl (Orlando) |
| June 8 | Ecuador vs. Peru | University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale) |
| June 12 | Brazil vs. Peru | Gillette Stadium (Foxborough) |
| June 12 | Ecuador vs. Haiti | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford) |
Group C
Sneaky good.
Mexico, the seeded team in this section, would likely have preferred to avoid Uruguay - the nation that boasts the most Copa America titles (15) in tournament history - but those two nations will undoubtedly be expected to progress. New Mexican bench boss Juan Carlos Osorio will be looking to get his first tournament at the helm of El Tri off to an impressive start, and outside of Luis Suarez and the always solid Uruguayans, he shouldn't have much trouble accomplishing that.
Both Venezuela and Jamaica proved last summer that they are no strangers to upsetting the status quo, but each side has regressed since that time, with the former sitting in the basement of CONMEBOL qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
Group schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 5 | Mexico vs. Uruguay | University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale) |
| June 5 | Jamaica vs. Venezuela | Soldier Field (Chicago) |
| June 9 | Mexico vs. Jamaica | Rose Bowl (Pasadena) |
| June 9 | Uruguay vs. Venezuela | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) |
| June 13 | Mexico vs. Venezuela | NRG Stadium (Houston) |
| June 13 | Uruguay vs. Jamaica | Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara) |
Group D
The various deities who oversaw the Copa America draw at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Sunday evening in New York did a brilliant job of saving the best for last. Group D provides the most enticing fixture from the tournament's opening round, with a rematch of last summer's final on the cards between Chile and Argentina.
The best part? We don't have to wait for it. The two sides, boasting an abundance of star power, will meet in the group's opening fixture, with Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez set to lock horns in Santa Clara, Calif.
Oh, right. Panama and Bolivia can be found here as well.
Group schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 6 | Argentina vs. Chile | Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara) |
| June 6 | Panama vs. Bolivia | Citrus Bowl (Orlando) |
| June 10 | Argentina vs. Panama | Soldier Field (Chicago) |
| June 10 | Chile vs. Bolivia | Gillette Stadium (Foxborough) |
| June 14 | Argentina vs. Bolivia | CenturyLink Field (Seattle) |
| June 14 | Chile vs. Panama | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) |