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Our long wait is over: Copa América Centenario is finally here
The first major tournament of the summer kicks off later on Friday.
The day’s big focus is on actual soccer, which makes for a nice change in the domestic off-season. Instead of endless transfer rumors concocted to fill the newspapers’ back pages, all attention is turning to the start of the Copa América Centenario, which kicks off in California on Friday with the United States playing host to Colombia.
It will certainly be a tough game for the USMNT, who go up against a Colombia outfit expected to contain Juan Cuadrado, James Rodríguez and Carlos Bacca in its frightening attack. Perhaps realizing the difficulty of the task that lies ahead, USA coach Jürgen Klinsmann sought to downplay expectations in a press conference Friday, when he declared: “We want to get through the group stage, which is not easy.”
Friday’s opener is followed by a triple-header on Saturday, with Costa Rica taking on Paraguay, Haiti going up against Peru, and Brazil facing Ecuador.
Goal of the Day
Mana Iwabuchi’s looping effort may have taken a deflection on its way in, but it sure still looks nice.
In the news
Recently-relegated Premier League side Aston Villa have hired former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo (Aston Villa)
Leicester City have found some competition for Kasper Schmeichel, signing Hannover’s Ron-Robert Zieler (Leicester City)
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman could be set for the Everton job (ESPNFC)
PSG could be interested in snagging Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone (Football España)
AC Milan could be set for a takeover, with Unai Emery and Zlatan Ibrahimović targets (Football Italia)
Real Madrid are looking to sign David de Gea from Manchester United as soon as possible (AS)
Former Swansea City boss Garry Monk has boarded the Leeds United crazy train (Leeds United)
You should be reading
Eurosport have been designing the perfect European Championship
David Squires’ sardonic cartoon on the Copa América (Guardian)
And, last but not least, our own Copa América preview, for all of your last-gasp study
What to watch on Friday (click for listings, all times ET)
Copa América: One game (from 9:30 p.m.) -- The US kick off the Copa América against Colombia.
Friendlies: A whole smattering of fixtures (with the interesting ones from noon) -- A few sides continue their Euro 2016 preparations, with Switzerland, Romania, Albania and Ukraine among those in action.
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