After the Copa América is now finally underway, it is time for the first match in Group B. The teams meeting each other could not be much further apart. Title holders and record champions Uruguay face CONCACAF team Jamaica, who were invited as a guest team for this year’s edition. Will the fans in the Estadio Regional de Antofagasta still be witnesses of an interesting and exciting match?
Let’s just say, there are at least doubts on my end. Uruguay have some serious talent up and down the squad, while Jamaica’s team has an estimated market value of under 14 million € (see transfermarkt.de). Funnily enough, the coaches of each side, Oscar Tabarez and Winfried Schäfer, have the same number of points per game statistically. That is about all when it comes to similarities though.
Edinson Cavani: The PSG striker is the star of the team, his goals will be needed for Uruguay to go far in the tournament.
The South Americans have won both games they played in 2015, the most recent one 5-1 against Guatemala. Superstar Edinson Cavani and Diego Rolán, both under contract in France, paired up to form a dangerous duo up front and scoring the first three goals of the match. This gives Uruguay an option they will most likely use against the Carribean outsiders. The rest of the team is absolutely solid enough to succeed, backed by the fantastic Atlético centreback duo of Godín and Giménez, though the latter is a doubt for the Jamaica match due to a slight injury. His replacement would be Sebastian Coates.
On the flipside, it was only in March that Jamaica have beaten Venezuela in a friendly. So do not underestimate a team that has a good coach from Germany, and a couple of players who are under contract in the English Premier League like defenders Wes Morgan and Adrian Mariappa. Furthermore, this is exactly the area that Jamaica will need to be good in to keep Cavani and Rolan off the scoresheet. Deshorn Brown from Norway’s Valerenga is their guy to score the goals. If they score any that is. Coach Schäfer recently said he wants his team to reach the quarter final, but the group is obviously tough, as it also includes Argentina and Paraguay.
Teams:
Uruguay: Muslera – Maxi Pereira, Gimenez, Godin, Alvaro Pereira – Arevalo Rios – C. Rodriguez, Sanchez, Lodeiro – Rolan, Cavani.
Jamaica: Kerr – Mariappa, Taylor, Morgan, Lawrence – McCleary, Watson, Austin, McAnuff – Mattocks – Brown.
Stadium: The Estadio Regional de Antofagasta has room for 21178 fans.
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