Calculations over Copa Cup -16
The Copa América Centenario 2016 will start in the United States on June 3 with 16 nations. The competition is the first Copa América being hosted outside South America.
The tournament will be the 45th edition of Copa América since its inception in 1916. It is arranged as per an agreement between CONMEBOL (the South American football confederation) and CONCACAF (the football confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean) as a special edition between the usual four-year cycle, and will feature an expanded field of 16 teams (an increase from the usual 12), with all 10 teams from South America and six teams from North America. The winner of this tournament will not receive an invitation to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, as Chile have already qualified by winning the 2015 Copa América.
Hosts USA, Colombia, Costa Rico and Paraguay are in Group A, Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti and Peru attribute Group B, Jamaica, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela feature Group C, while Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Panama represent Group D.
Once fierce Brazil will play their first match on June 4 at Rose Bowl, Pasadena against Ecuador, Argentina face defending Champions Chile on June 6 at Santa Clara, while runners-up Uruguay meet Mexico on June 5 in Glendale.
The four quarterfinals will begin on June 16, two semifinals on June 21 and final on June 26 in East Rutherford.
The fixture has been prepared in such a way that there is probability of a clash between Argentina and Brazil in semifinals if they finish atop in their respective groups and overcome quarterfinal hurdles.
If a match is tied after 90 minutes at the knock-out stage, tie-breaker will be used to decide the winners. But in the final, extra 30 minutes will be played before penalty shoot-out. So far, Uruguay captured the titles 15 times, Argentina 14, Brazil eight, Peru and Paraguay two each, Bolivia, Chile and Colombia one each.
Now let us see who takes the biscuit in the 45 edition?
Abdullah Akber
Dhaka
