Colombia: Team Preview- 2015 Copa America

Colombia put up a brilliant show at the FIFA World Cup last summer and won the hearts of many

As the curtains fall on the club football season, it is time for some International action in the summer break. This time football fans worldwide will dance to the music of the South American football as the 44th Copa America is set to kick off in Chile in a few days.

The mighty Argentina and Brazil will be favourites to win the tournament, but it would be foolish to take any of the participating teams lightly. One of the teams who are capable of taking on the big guns and also have a good chance of winning the trophy is the Colombian National team.

The Colombian team put up a brilliant show at the FIFA World Cup last summer and won the hearts of several fans with their scintillating football. This has also led to elevated expectations from the side for the Copa America and maybe they can go on to clinch their second Copa America title.

Squad

When Colombia announced their squad for the Copa America, many players from the team that played in the FIFA World Cup retained their places and they were forced to make some changes as well.

For the FIFA World Cup last summer, Colombia were dealt a huge blow as Radamel Falcao was not fit enough to participate in the tournament, but luckily for them El Tigre is fit and raring to go this time around. But before the Copa America they faced fresh problems as their best midfielder, Fredy Guarin was ruled out with an injury. The biggest problem in picking the squad was finding a replacement for Mario Yepes who retired after the World Cup.

The return of Falcao will be a huge morale boost for Colombia

Colombia has a really good front line, but their defense is very weak in comparison and this makes their side lopsided. To give a mental image of the scenario, imagine a body builder who has only worked on his upper body and skipped leg day for several years.

Key members of the side from the World Cup like James Rodriguez, Juan Cuadrado, David Ospina, Cristian Zapata, Juan Zuniga, Pablo Armero, Carlos Sanchez, Alexander Mejia, Jackson Martinez and Carlos Bacca have retained their places.

Dortmund’s Adrian Ramos who had a poor season was dropped and instead Luis Muriel makes the cut. A very notable inclusion in the squad is that of young defender Jeison Murillo who just recently signed for Internazionale from Granada and he could be partnering Zapata in defense.

Goal Keepers: David Ospina (Arsenal), Camilo Vargas (Atletico Nacional), Cristian Bonilla (La Equidad)

Defenders: Pablo Armero (Flamengo), Juan Zuniga (Napoli), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), Carlos Valdes (Nacional), Santiago Arias (PSV), Jeison Murillo (Internazionale), Pedro Franco (Besiktas), Andrade (Standard Liege)

Midfielders: Carlos Sanchez (Aston Villa), Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea), James Rodriguez (Real Madrid), Alexander Mejia (Monterrey), Edwin Valencia (Santos), Edwin Cardona (Monterrey)

Forwards: Radamel Falcao (AS Monaco), Teofilo Gutierrez (River Plate), Jackson Martinez (Porto), Carlos Bacca (Sevilla), Victor Ibardo (AS Roma), Luis Muriel (Sampdoria)

Coach

Pekerman helped Colombia qualify for their first World Cup in 16 years

Colombia is managed by the experienced Jose Pekerman who has been in charge of the team since 2012. Under his guidance, Colombia reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup last season which was their best performance in the history of the tournament.

The Argentine has managed several teams during his managerial career of which the Argentina National team tops the list. He led the Albicelestes to the final of the confederations cup in 2005 only to lose out to Brazil. Pekerman was also in charge when Argentina played in the 2006 World Cup, but he resigned following the side’s exit in the quarterfinals on penalties against Germany. On either side of his time managing Argentina, he spent his time coaching clubs in South America and Mexico.

After he inherited a Colombia team in shambles, he made them into a very strong unit and helped them qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 16 years.

Best Starting XI

(4-4-2 Formation)

Goalkeeper: David Ospina

Defenders: Juan Zuniga, Cristian Zapata, Jeison Murillo, Pablo Armero

Midfielders: Juan Cuadrado, Carlos Sanchez, Alexander Mejia, James Rodriguez

Forwards: Radamel Falcao, Jackson Martinez

Formation and Tactics

Colombia are likely to line up in a 4-4-2 formation

Colombia started the 2014 World Cup with a 4-2-3-1 set up with James Rodriguez playing as the central attacking midfielder, but later on they shifted to a 4-4-2 setup with two strikers.

For the Copa America it is very likely that Colombia will stick to the 4-4-2 formation due to the unavailability of Guarin in midfield and the availability of strikers like Falcao, Martinez and Bacca who gives them good options up front. Playing a two striker formation will allow Colombia to play to their strengths as their strike force is easily their best weapon.

In midfield Aston Villa’s Carlos Sanchez will resume duties as usual and Alexander Mejia is most likely to partner him. There is only one likely change in the back four that played at the World Cup, and it is a forced one due to the retirement of Yepes. Murillo is likely to step in and take the vacant spot.

Zuniga and Armero are quick attacking minded full backs and they will give ample support to Colombia’s attack force. Cuadrado who shone at the World Cup will play in his familiar role down the wing often overlapping with Zuniga, while James Rodriguez will have to revert to the role of a winger which he had often played in during his time at FC Porto.

Sanchez who received a mixed review for his first season in England will be eager to bounce back with a good performance at the tournament and will sit deep and protect his center backs from opposition counters.

Colombia have very quick wingers, full backs and strikers, and therefore they are bound to play aggressive, agile and attacking football to try and put the opposition on the back foot early in the game so that they can try and score again while the opposition searches for a goal.

History at the Copa America

Colombia have participated in the Copa America on only 19 occasions, which is the second lowest tally among South American teams with Venezuela being the only team to have participated in fewer tournaments than the Colombians.

Colombia won the cup in 2001 when they hosted the tournament

They won the cup in 2001 when they hosted the tournament under a heavy cloud of security issues which eventually forced Argentina to pull out of the tournament and therefore, this time they will want to try and win the Cup when all teams are participating.

Colombia also made the final in 1975 and managed three third-place finishes in 1987, 1993 and 1995 respectively. The last time the tournament was held in Chile they finished fourth.

Colombia's performances in past Copa Americas

YEAR	RESULT
1975	Runners Up
1979	Group Stage
1983	Group Stage
1987	Third Place
1989	Group Stage
1991	Fourth Place
1993	Third Place
1995	Third Place
1997	Quarter Finals
1991	Quarter Finals
2001	CHAMPIONS
2004	Fourth Place
2007	Group Stage
2011	Quarter Finals

Predictions

Colombia is drawn in Group C along with Brazil, Peru and Venezuela. Ideally, the Colombians shouldn’t have any difficulty in clearing the group stages, but it remains to be seen if they can pip Brazil, who are favourites to top the group.

If they finish runners-up in Group C, they will only have to face the runners of Group A and that group consists of Chile, Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia. Irrespective of who they play, Colombia have the quality to beat any team from group A and reach the semifinals. If things go as predicted and if there are no major upsets in the tournament then Colombia are unlikely to draw Brazil or Argentina or even Uruguay in the semi-final round.

Final Prediction: Colombia will finish runners-up but will not go on to win the Copa America