The first set of match days of the controversial Copa America has come to an end. As Brazil still grapples with coronavirus cases, on-field action is officially underway in empty stadiums across the country.
Hosts Brazil started the tournament with a 3-0 win over Venezuela, which had to call 15 emergency players due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Colombia won 1–0 over Ecuador, while Chile drew 1–1 with Argentina despite a stunner from Lionel Messi. Paraguay beat Bolivia 3–1, and Uruguay and Peru have yet to play in the 10-nation tournament.
ESPN's Tim Vickery looks back on the first two days of action at the world's oldest international tournament.
A case of unfair competition?
The Copa América was previously held in a four-year cycle in which it served as practice for the next set of World Cup qualifiers - in 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. Now, because FIFA wants to clear the space a mid-year. For a global club competition, it happens at the same time as the Euro - which, this year, anyway, looks like a case of unfair competition.
There are fans in the stadiums of the European Championship, and a feeling - hopefully not premature - that with the pandemic under control there is something to celebrate. No such sentiment is possible in South America. COVID-19 continues and will soon reach the half-million mark of deaths in Brazil. No fans will be present, and the pandemic gave the tournament an embarrassing start in Sunday's first game. Brazil's opponents are suffering from an outbreak of COVID-19 - Venezuela could field only three of the starting lineups from last Tuesday's World Cup qualifiers at home to Uruguay, and were forced to fly in additional players . Essentially, they created a scratch team that emerged from a 3-0 defeat with some respect. But the opening game in the Copa experienced either a testimonial or a charity encounter, soon after the thrilling encounter between the Netherlands and Ukraine.
Then there's the format, with a bizarre group stage that takes over two weeks and 20 games to eliminate only two sides out of 10. And on top of that the quality of the pitches leaves something to be desired, especially when compared to the Euro. The Argentine was justifiably critical of the playing surface for their match at the Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. So it's a case of unfair competition.
But South American football is nothing if not resilient, and the game between Argentina and Chile was better than the Spain-Sweden match that preceded it.
Have we learned anything new about the big two?
Probably not, although given the immediate nature of their opponents, it was difficult to learn much about Brazil.
Just as in World Cup qualification, Brazil are looking solid and confident at the moment, with hardly the slightest danger of giving up and the individual talent and collective variations causing a lot of problems. It will be interesting to see when and if they shake off their confidence in the later stages of the competition.
As for Argentina, they have improved markedly in the two years since their last loss - to Brazil in the semi-finals of the 2019 Copa. But Monday's 1-1 draw with Chile exposed disappointing weaknesses as well as strengths. As in the two recent World Cup qualifiers - one of them a draw with Chile - they are showing glimpses of real promise, their circuit of midfield passing looks very impressive when the path of the game. Lionel Messi continued his personal feud with Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, this time defeating him with a brilliant free kick. But this time he was kept relatively calm - and yet, Argentina was making chances. Giovanni Lo Celso played a brilliant game in the first half.
But then problems come. Chile switched at the break, sending Arturo Vidal further forward to join up with striker Eduardo Vargas. The Argentine lost his fluency - finding it impossible to maintain his rhythm - and, once again, the defense collapsed. Nico Otamendi is running on loan time at centre-back, and with him Lucas Martinez Quarta often seems out of balance to be the long-term solution. There are high hopes for Cristian Romero, who is injured, but the evidence about him in the recent World Cup qualifiers was inconclusive. And so Chile found a way.
Now pushed to the left, midfielder Erick Pulger played a wonderful diagonal ball that exposed a gaping hole in the center of the defence, and Vargas had a shot that was saved by Emiliano Martinez. But Vidal was then fouled by Nico Tagliafico, who tried his best to score two penalties in a single move. Martinez did surprisingly well to push Vidal's penalty over the bar, but Vargas reacted quickly to go home and continue his remarkable association with the Copa America.
Once again Argentina got off to a great start, took the lead and were forced to draw. Friday's game against Uruguay looks extraordinarily promising - an old local derby capable of rivaling the England-Scotland clash at Euros earlier that day.
The best of the rest
The goal that gave Colombia a 1-0 win over Ecuador will be remembered for a long time. The defensive wall was expecting Edwin Cardona to shoot a free kick. Instead, he made a clever exchange of small dice with Juan Cuadrado, and then he continued his run in the field. Cuadrado's chip in the box was neatly nod by striker Miguel Borja and Cardona faced him with a graceful finish on a volley to defeat the keeper.
Cardona is an attractive, often infuriating figure. He's not much of an athlete - Milk spins faster than him - but he strikes the ball extremely well and has the spark of imagination that can brighten up a game. His goal against Ecuador won his side three points and was the highlight of the opening round.