Mexico and Japan in mix for Copa America draw
Reuters - Wednesday 10 November 2010, 01:21
LA PLATA - What tournament
apart from the World Cup could bring together Argentina, Mexico
and Japan?
The world's oldest active tournament, no less, in modern
guise: The Copa America.
The South American championship, its official name from the
first time it was played in 1916, will take place in Argentina
next July. Only the now defunct British Homde Championship was
older.
The draw for the Copa America takes place in La Plata,
capital of Buenos Aires province, on Thursday with
guest teams Mexico and Japan boosting the numbers to 12.
Holders Brazil and hosts Argentina, who met in the last two
finals in 2004 and 2007, and World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay
will be seeded in three groups of four.
"The Copa America is going to be a very important step
towards our principal objective which is the 2014 World Cup (in
Brazil)," said Argentina's new coach Sergio Batista, who has
taken over from Diego Maradona.
Much the same sentiment is in the minds of the other
coaches in the tournament including the likes of Colombia and
Peru, looking to return to the World Cup after missing recent
finals.
BRAZILIAN DOMINATION
Argentina, whose last victory was in 1993, and Uruguay are
the teams with most titles, 14 each. They are followed by
Brazil, five of whose eight have come in the last 21 years and
four in the last five tournaments.
The Brazilians, now under coach Mano Menezes, are looking
to return to their so-called beautiful game after the pragmatic
years under Dunga whose tactics ultimately failed in the 2010
World Cup in South Africa.
Ronaldinho has been recalled for a friendly against
Argentina in Qatar next week and Brazilian hopes are also being
pinned on the blossoming of Santos youngsters Neymar and Paulo
Henrique Ganso.
"(Ronaldinho) is in good form and he is a leader who will
give added value to the Brazil team," Menezes said.
Mexico, who have played in every Copa America since 1993,
when they lost the final to Argentina in Ecuador, are also
under a new coach in Jose Manuel de la Torre.
He faces a busy year as Mexico play the Concacaf Gold Cup
in June before the Copa America.
Japan, looking good under new Italian coach Alberto
Zaccheroni and with a 1-0 friendly win over Argentina last
month under their belts, are guests for the second time
occupying a berth normally filled by the United States.
They were knocked out in the group stage in 1999 in
Paraguay where they took part during the build-up to co-hosting
the 2002 World Cup finals.