Premier League / Editor / 25 June 2007 / Leave a Comment

Tuesday, Live on Sky Sports 1, 23.00

The 42nd Copa América kicks-off with this Group A clash in Mérida. Hosts Venezuela begin their campaign against Bolivia early on Wednesday morning and all four teams will have high hopes of progressing to the quarter finals.

Group A seems to be the weakest of the three groups, as none of its teams qualified for the 2006 World Cup, whilst six of the other eight contenders did feature in Germany last year. Peru (64th), Venezuela (70th) and Bolivia (92nd) are the three lowest world ranked teams of the Copa América entrants, and so Uruguay, ranked 30th, start as favourites to top the group.

The Sky Blues trade at 1.99 to win Group A and go into the tournament in decent form. They have won all three friendly matches played this year, against Colombia, South Korea and Australia, and in Diego Forlan, have perhaps the hottest striker on show.

The Villarreal man is being touted for a return to the Premiership after scoring 19 La Liga goals, with nine in the last seven games of the season. He scored in Uruguay's win in Australia this month and has taken on the star player mantle from his fellow goalscorer in that victory, Álvaro Recoba.

The Inter Milan hotshot scored just once in Serie A last term and is tipped to end his 10-year association with the Nerazzurri this summer. Forlan can be expected to feature in the top goalscorer market, especially as his side look well-set for a berth in the last eight. The former Manchester United forward is currently available at 13.5 in a developing market headed by Argentina's Hernan Crespo at 5.1.

However, it is worth noting that players from European clubs are often rested throughout the three-week long tournament.

Uruguay, with 14 wins, share the record of Copa América triumphs with Argentina, although the majority of those victories came in the first half of last century. They were last victorious in 1995, but nearly caused an upset in Peru last time around, in 2004.

They progressed from a tough group as one of the best third placed teams and dispensed with Paraguay, victors over Brazil in the group stage, in the quarter-finals. They lost a tense penalty shoot-out to eventual winners Brazil after leading at half-time.

Oscar Tabárez's men can be backed at 13 to go the distance this time, with only Argentina, Brazil and Mexico more fancied. They are clear favourites to overcome Peru in the tournament curtain-raiser, trading at 1.88 to claim the three points.

Peru have been on a steady decline since losing 1-0 on home soil to Argentina in the last eight of the 2004 tournament. They are on a winless streak in international friendlies of 11 matches, stretching back to a 3-1 win over Mexico in August 2003.

The two-time winners have recently installed Julio César Uribe as manager for the second time and the new boss will look to captain and new Chelsea signing Claudio Pizarro to inspire his team.

Peru trade at 8 to top the group, while they are second favourites at 3.5 to finish rock bottom, with Bolivia strongly fancied at 1.2 to prop up the table. Punters expect Peru to struggle in their opening clash and they are available at 5.2 to cause a shock, with the draw at 3.5.

Brazil v Mexico, Thursday, Live on Sky Sports 1, 1.45am

Punters in England looking for a late-night treat need look no further than this mouth-watering Group B clash. Holders Brazil have won three of the last four tournaments and have an early test against Mexico, who will be desperate for revenge.

'El Tricolor' lived up to their reputation of freezing in big tournaments last time around, losing 4-0 to Brazil in the last eight after beating Argentina in the group stages.

They were first invited to play in the Copa América in 1993, going on to reach the final and have since been runners-up again in 2001. They trade at 3.8 to reach a third final, while they are on offer at 12 to go one better this time around.

Brazil's recent dominance of the competition is not reflective of their overall record, having won only seven of the Copa Américas played since its inception in 1916. The feeling that they do not always take the tournament seriously is reinforced by the absence of the fatigued Ronaldinho and Kaká, despite their involvement in the recent friendly with England. Brazil are currently second at 3.15 in the outright winner's market behind Argentina, who are trading at 2.58.

Dunga's men followed that friendly 1-1 draw with England with a goalless draw with Turkey in Germany. The manager will hope that his side can rise to the big occasion as they did in 2004, when they won semi-final and final penalty shoot-outs, against Uruguay and Argentina respectively, having come from behind both times.

Players are well-advised to practice spot-kicks, as no extra time is used for knockout matches that are level after 90 minutes. Brazil and Mexico trade at 1.61 and 4.3 respectively to reach those stages as the group winner.

Brazil are currently ranked third in the world and have something to prove after their disappointing World Cup campaign, which ended in a quarter-final exit. Mexico were ranked as high as fourth in the world last year but have slipped to 26th, although they for once put in a worthy World Cup performance, unluckily losing to Argentina after extra time in the last 16.

New coach Hugo Sánchez has had a busy recent schedule. His side beat Iran 4-0 on June 2nd but went down 1-0 to Paraguay on June 5th in the final friendly before the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Mexico did lose 2-1 to Honduras in the group stages to finish second but they then overcame Costa Rica and Guadeloupe by solitary goals to set up a final meeting with United States, the other team invited by Conmebol to join the Copa América.

It was the Americans though who successfully defended their Gold Cup title, coming from a goal down to win 2-1 on Sunday night.

Jared Borgetti scored twice in the tournament, taking his national record to 43 goals, and is linkely to once again be his team's biggest threat, in perhaps his final major tournament appearance. But punters should note he was substituted in the first half against the USA after receiving treatment, although the seriousness of the injury is not yet known.

Dunga has named a new look squad. Only six players have survived from the World Cup and Manchester United's recent signing Anderson is one of two debutants. The inexperienced squad contains only three players with more than 30 caps and none with an international goal tally higher than five.

Given their footballing history, Brazil are expected at 1.6 to start their campaign with a win, with Mexico available at 7 and the draw priced at 4.1.