Chile vs Uruguay: Copa America 2015, Schedule, Predictions, Rosters, Stream & Preview
Just eight teams remain in the biggest continental soccer tournament in all of South America. The No. 1 seed from Group A, Chile, will take on the No. 3 seed from Group B, Uruguay. The winner of this game will advance and play the winner of the Bolivia and Peru game.
The loser goes home.
Let's break down this must watch game and predict who will win.
Chile (19)
Chile may be the No. 19 ranked team in the world, but they are favored to defeat Uruguay in this game. Chile won Group A after defeating Ecuador, Bolivia and drawing against Mexico. Chile has scored the most goals thus far in this tournament (10), and they have the best goal differential at plus seven. That won't mean much now as it's single-game elimination.
The next week and a half could prove to be the biggest and most memorable in Chilean soccer history. Chile has never won this tournament before having lost in the finals four times. Not only do they have a great squad this year, but they are the host nation with a lot of pressure on their backs.
Middle fielder Arturo Vidal received no suspension after his Ferrari accident last week, and that's huge because he is the leading scorer of this competition with three goals. Jorge Valdivia and Matías Fernández help create a powerful middle field alongside Vidal. Team captain Claudio Bravo has earned two clean sheets in three games. The Barcelona goalkeeper is regarded as one of the best in the world today. Forward Alexis Sánchez leads Chile's offense against Uruguay.
Uruguay (8)
It wasn't pretty, but they did it. Uruguay survived and advanced. As expected, Lionel Messi and Argentina won Group B, but Paraguay finished ahead of Uruguay for second place. Uruguay's 1-0 victory over Jamaica proved to be the pivotal difference.
Uruguay is the defending champion of the Copa America, and they've won this more than any other nation, so they're always a target. Unfortunately, scoring has been a big issue. Without Luis Suarez on the field, Uruguay has scored just two goals in three games. On the flip side, Uruguay's net minder Fernando Muslera has been playing fantastic allowing just two goals so far.
Maxi Pereira and team captain Diego Godín help create an elite defense. Uruguay's defense against Chile's middle field will be the key factor to watch in this game. But there's no doubt about it, Uruguay has to find the back of the net at a much higher rate if they're going to win. Edinson Cavani hasn't scored a single goal, and he's Uruguay's most skilled forward. Only José Giménez and Cristian Rodríguez have scored for Uruguay so far.
Schedule, Where to Watch
Chile and Uruguay will play each other on Wednesday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. EST. That's 8:30 p.m. local time in Chile. The game will be shown on the beIN Sports Network. You can watch a live game stream here.
Prediction
Two teams that couldn't be much more different than one another. The only large similarity is their elite goalkeepers. This game shouldn't be too high scoring, but Chile will find a way to execute offensively and win a close one. A win over the defending champions at home is just what Chile needs to kick start their Copa America playoff run.
Chile wins 3-2