The world of soccer will turn all its attention to South America this week as the Copa America enters the semi-final stage with the final four teams ready to do battle to earn the status of continental champion.
Reigning champions and pre-tournament favorites Argentina will meet Canada in the first semi-final before Uruguay take on Colombia to determine who will meet in the final on Sunday in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Both games will be tough to call, but we’ll break down each fixture and provide you with our best free soccer betting picks to try and earn you some extra cash while you enjoy all the action.
Learn more about how to bet on soccer here.
Most people predicted before the tournament started that Argentina would be the team to beat after being put in the easier side of the draw for the knockout stages and with them being the reigning world champions and reigning Copa America champions.
So far they’ve been proven right too, with Lionel Scaloni‘s side being unbeaten after four games so far with just one goal conceded in regulation time – a 93rd minute equaliser in the last knockout game before a penalty shootout victory.
The two teams met each other in the opening game of the tournament and Argentina came out on top in a dominant 2-0 win with strikers Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez getting on the scoresheet.
Defensively Canada have been strong since that opening game, conceding just once in three games but they have struggled to be a threat going forward and will need to turn in the performance of a lifetime if they are to make their first ever Copa America final.
Star names Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David haven’t been at their best, but Jesse Marsch is learning about his new team every game and will be hopeful that the defensive structure they have found since that first game will be enough to earn a shock victory.
Argentina will be coming into this clash full of confidence but also with complete expectation that they will win the game, meaning all the pressure is on them.
Captain and legendary attacker Lionel Messi has had a poor tournament by his lofty standards so far, failing to register a goal or assist in three games and missing a penalty in the shootout last time out after he recovered from a hamstring injury.
But when the chips fall and the pressure builds, it is always the Inter Miami star who steps up and makes a difference. So why would that change now?
His current teammates are playing well, with Lautaro Martinez the current tournament top scorer, which means there is a bit less pressure on him to take over the game himself. But with 90 minutes to play against a team who are likely to defend for the most part, Messi will surely break his duck and lead his team to yet another major tournament final.
Check out our review for Bovada sports betting here.
Uruguay have caused a lot of waves in this tournament thanks to manager Marcelo Bielsa‘s exciting style of play and the excellent form of star striker Darwin Nunez.
Uruguay have claimed three wins and a draw from their four games so far in the competition, conceding just once along the way as they dominated Panama and Bolivia before a win over host-nation USA for a 100% group stage record.
That set up a huge quarter-final clash with Brazil and after a scrappy 0-0 draw over 120 minutes they claimed the victory on penalties to eliminate them, sending shockwaves through the tournament.
But they’ll be coming up against an undefeated Colombia side who beat Paraguay and Costa Rica in their first two group games before earning a 1-1 draw with Brazil themselves, before thrashing Panama 5-0 in their quarter-final clash.
Jhon Arias and Luis Diaz have hit two goals each while James Rodriguez continues to shine despite his age, and it should make for a really fun encounter in the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.
Both teams have scored plenty of goals during the tournament, but it’s their impressive defensive displays that have caught the eye the most.
In eight games combined only two goals have been conceded, but there have been plenty of cards. Uruguay matches have seen ten yellow or red cards handed out, while Colombia games have seen 16 cards in total.
That means neither team are afraid of getting scrappy or digging in as and when they need to in order to stop their opponents’ momentum, and that should lead to a tight affair on this occasion – especially with such high stakes.
With players like Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Facundo Pellistri and Luis Suarez in the squad there is plenty of quality in the squad and that is usually the difference maker in games such as this.
Expect limited goal-mouth action and even less goals, but a moment of magic from one of the many stars to be the difference on the night.
Check out our review for BetOnline sports betting here.
About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
Read Daniel's ProfileAsk Daniel about this guide:
