Brazil Crush Chile With Some Of The Old Magic

Brazil marched into the Copa semi-finals with an emphatic 6-1 thrashing of hapless Chile and showed some of the old magic against opponents foolish enough to give them all the time and space in the world to play their natural game.
Juan opened the scoring with a header from a corner and Julio Baptista produced a [...]

HT: Brazil 3-0 Chile

Following Uruguay’s example earlier in the evening, Brazil are making a mockery of their group form in their quarter-final against Chile. Cutting through their opponents almost at will they scored three within half an hour and could have had twice that.
Juan opened the scoring in the 16th minute nodding in Maicon’s flicked on header from [...]

Finally! Uruguay Shows Up And Dumps Out Hosts

Uruguay marched into the Copa semi-finals with a 4-1 demolition of hosts Venezuela. Tonight, transformed, they looked a completely different team to the one that sneaked out of the weakest of the three groups scoring just one goal along the way.
The 14-times Copa champions dominated this game and imposed themselves on Venezuela from the start. [...]

Arsenal to Swap Fábregas for Robinho?

Reports in Spain say that Arsenal have suggested to Real Madrid that if they want to get their hands on Cesc Fábregas they will have to send Robinho in the opposite direction.
Fábregas has been a declared target of Real Madrid for several months but they reportedly will not discuss a swap until they know the [...]

HT: Venezuela 1-1 Uruguay

Uruguay have turned their Copa form on their head and after three wretched performances in the group stages have finally showed up. They dominated the first half in the Pueblo Nuevo stadium and could have been several goals clear by half-time.
That they are not is the fault of Diego Forlán. Atlético Madrid were happy to [...]

No Goals Last Night So Enjoy This Instead

Brazil-v-Italy, July 5th 1982, Estadio Sarria, Barcelona:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTfPOzUc1JI
It was twenty-five years ago this week and while Dunga’s pig of a team in Venezuela will likely be remembered with distaste even should it thrash Argentina in the final, this glorious bunch of losers have once again been feted all week on Brazilian media, showered with love and [...]

Chile Squad Rocked by Scandal on Eve of Brazil Game

The Chile squad had to face accusations that some of them spent the early hours of Thursday morning ahead of their showdown against Brazil in the Copa quarter-finals boozing it up and causing trouble in their hotel.
Sources quoted in Santiago’s La Tercera newspaper say the guilty players were captain Jorge Valdivia, Reinaldo Navia, Jorge Vargas, [...]

Today’s Headlines

“Brazil take on Chile to stay alive in the Copa America” – Estado de S.Paulo, Brazil
“Brazil have another chance to defeat distrust” – O Globo, Brazil
“For the celeste only victory will do. (This time there is no choice) – El Pais, Uruguay
“La Vinotinto to continue making history” – Meridiano, Venezuela

Uruguay’s Recoba – Does He Even Deserve a Place Today?

Uruguay’s most accomplished player doesn’t deserve a place in the starting line-up in Saturday’s quarter final match against Venezuela, as this most gifted of players has too often failed to live up to expectations.
Alvaro Recoba came up through the ranks at Danubio and moved to local giants Nacional in 1995, where the Montevideo-born striker hit [...]