'Whenever I talk with Leo, we always say 'Pray that one day it happens for us'. It's what he wants and it's what we all want. I put myself in his shoes and I want to do the best'
South America's top football competition kicked off on Thursday amid fireworks and razzmatazz.
Kaka has dropped out of the Brazil squad for the Centenary Copa America due to injury and will be replaced by Paulo Henrique Ganso, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said.
Colombia head to Copa semis after penalties win over Uruguay
The 'Noodle' has broken again with Angel Di Maria injured during a third consecutive major tournament playing for Argentina at the end of a busy club season.
Copa America kicks off in Chile on Thursday as a widening US-led investigation lifts the lid on rampant corruption among the sport's top officials.
An early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late second from Sergio Aguero gave Argentina a 2-0 win over Qatar on Sunday, a deserved victory that takes them into the Copa America quarter-finals.
Argentina shrugged off the injury absence of Lionel Messi to launch their Copa America Centenario campaign with a 2-1 defeat of defending champions Chile in Santa Clara, United States on Monday. Goals from Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega secured a deserved three points for Argentina, who exacted sweet revenge for their defeat to the Chileans in last year's Copa America final. Chile substitute Jose Fuenzalida scored an injury time consolation for the holders. The Argentines will now be firm favorites to progress to the quarter-finals as Group D winners with games against Panama and Bolivia to come. Injured Argentina captain Messi watched from the substitutes' bench at Levi's Stadium after failing to recover in time from a sore back suffered in a friendly win over Honduras last month. But the Barcelona superstar's absence was barely noticeable, with Nicolas Gaitan slotting into Argentina's attack and making an instant impression, hitting the woodwork with a header after only two minutes.
Eight time champions Brazil were held 0-0 by Ecuador in the glamour game as the second day of the centenary Copa America tournament mustered up only one, albeit spectacular, goal from three matches on Saturday.
Philippe Coutinho grabbed a hat-trick as Brazil ramped up their Copa America campaign with a resounding 7-1 win over a hapless Haiti on Wednesday. Renato Augusto scored a brace and substitutes Lucas Lima and Gabriel also goaled for Brazi, while James Marcelin put in Haiti's consolation goal. The scoreline -- identical to Brazil's nightmare 7-1 defeat by Germany in the World Cup semi-final two years ago -- takes Brazil to the top of Group B with four points, ahead of the evening's second game between Peru and Ecuador. Coutinho got Brazil off to a positive start in the Camping World stadium with a goal after 14 minutes when he skipped past a defender and hammered home from 20 metres out. He doubled Brazil's lead 15 minutes later thanks to Jonas, who was on hand to poke a loose ball across goal and leave the Liverpool player with the simplest of tap-ins.
Gabriel got the winning kick for Brazil after Gustavo Gomez and Derlis Gonzalez missed for the visitors. Roberto Firmino pulled his spot kick wide for the hosts.
Teenage striker Joel Campbell shone as Costa Rica's second string team beat nine-man Bolivia 2-0 to push hosts and tournament favourites Argentina into third place in Group A at the Copa America on Thursday.
Second-half goals from Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas gave hosts Chile a 2-0 victory over Ecuador.
Substitute Raul Riudiaz's hotly disputed goal earned Peru a shock 1-0 win over Brazil in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Sunday, the defeat knocking the five-time world champions out the Copa America at the group stage.
The 'Elephants Graveyard' has played host to a string of major upsets through the years and Argentina are determined not to become the next giant to fall there when they face Colombia in the Copa America on Wednesday.
Holders Brazil landed a tricky draw for the Copa America on Wednesday as they were thrown into Group B along with Mexico, Ecuador and Chile.
The United States beat Paraguay 1-0 and advanced to the quarter-finals of the Copa America as Group A winners on Saturday after Costa Rica stunned already-qualified Colombia 3-2.
Mexico and Bolivia were booed off the pitch after playing out a drab goalless draw in their opening match of the Copa America on Friday, leaving hosts Chile top of Group A after the first round of matches.
Mexico scored twice in the final five minutes to beat Uruguay 3-1 in a pulsating Copa America Group C match in which each side had a man sent off on Sunday.
Brazil opened the 2021 Copa America with a 3-0 win over a depleted Venezuela
But despite some early close attempts from Uruguay, Japan began to impose themselves on the game and Koji Miyoshi gave them the lead in the 25th minute with a confident finish following a counterattack.
Argentina have moved to the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time in seven years despite being beaten by Chile in the Copa America final.
Colombia scored two first half goals to tame hosts the United States and open the Copa America tournament with a convincing 2-0 victory in front of a big crowd on Friday.
Brazil's Neymar has been banned for four matches after being sent off at the Copa America and will play no further part in the tournament, the South American football federation CONMEBOL said on Friday.
A first-half goal from Jeison Murillo gave Colombia a 1-0 win over Brazil at the Copa America.
Roberto Firmino had a goal chalked off late in the first half after the referee awarded a foul against the hosts, before substitute Gabriel Jesus found the net on the hour mark only for a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review to deem Firmino offside in the build-up. Brazil meet Peru in their final group game on Saturday with both sides needing only a draw to seal their place in the quarter-finals
In the other match of the night, Jamaica 'keeper blunder hands Paraguay 1-0 win
Hawk-Eye technology will be used to decide whether the ball has crossed the goal-line at next month's Copa America Centenario in the United States, the tournament's organising committee said on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Brazil have called on Kaka as a late addition for next month's Centenary Copa America in the United States, the Brazilian Football Confederation said on Thursday.
Substitute Costa slipped the ball past the keeper from close range in the 48th minute of the second half to break the deadlock and extend Brazil's winning run to 11 matches.
Colombia became the first side to book a spot in the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals on Tuesday after beating Paraguay in Pasadena, while the United States kept their hopes of advancing alive by thrashing Costa Rica 4-0. Colombia's 2-1 win put them top of Group A on six points, with the United States on three and the other two teams on one point each. After losing their opener 2-0 to Colombia, the United States were in clinical form against the Costa Ricans in Chicago and scored three times in the first half through Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Jones and Bobby Wood. Substitute Graham Zusi added a fourth in the 86th minute to cap the win and improve the hosts' goal difference.
Brazil fired Dunga as coach on Tuesday, the national football confederation said, two days after his side failed to get past the group stages of the Centenary Copa America.
Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a hat-trick in just 18 minutes on Friday as Argentina hammered Panama 5-0 and eased into the quarter-finals of the Copa America.
United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann has turned to experience for next month's Copa America Centenario on home soil, but said he had to make some "very close, tight decisions" before announcing his 23-player squad on Saturday.
Mexican striker Matias Vuoso and Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal both scored twice in a game that roared from end to end and never let up in intensity.
Copa America organisers were left red-faced on Sunday after playing the wrong national anthem for Uruguay before their match against Mexico in Arizona.
A goal by Salomon Rondon gave Venezuela an upset 1-0 win over Uruguay in Philadelphia on Thursday that put them on the verge of the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals with the record 15-times champions facing elimination. When midfielder Alejandro Guerra lobbed Fernando Muslera from more than 30 metres, the Uruguay goalkeeper chased back but only managed to tip the ball onto the bar and striker Rondon raced in to tap it into the net in the 36th minute. Venezuela, who beat Jamaica 1-0 in their opening Group C match, have six points, three more than Mexico, who beat Uruguay 3-1 on Sunday and were playing the Jamaicans later on Thursday in Pasadena. For Venezuela, looking for their maiden title, it was a first win in nine Copa America meetings with Uruguay while Rondon became the first "Vinotinto" (red wine) player to score at three tournaments.
Angel Di Maria is working hard on his fitness for the chance to play a part in Argentina's Copa America Centenario final against title holders Chile on Sunday after bad luck in two previous finals.
Argentina are odds-on favourites to win the Copa America for the first time since 1993 by beating Chile in Saturday's final.
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