Article
TEAM MEETINGS: Where Real Football Change Happens
The temperature outside has been soaring and the rays of sunshine are starting to wear on more than just your skin. Your joints ache with every movement and your body screams at your stupidity while also pleading with you in a child-like innocence to just find the neatest soft, comfortable location and just sleep. Yet, your mind won’t allow it and constantly hushes the ever-growing and increasingly louder voice of your body like an old, mean librarian ‘shushing’ a restless set of studious school kids. So, up and at it you go; forward again into the painful, yet rewarding but still unknown steps of football’s pre-season training; this time.
I mean seriously now; you’re the coach and this is how you feel? Regardless of whether or not you can actually remember what it felt like when you played, just imagine how your players currently feel – and you now want them to sit through another Team Meeting? A Team Meeting that you have to stand before them and lead.
Of course, the easy way out for everyone one would be to not even hold these a Team Meetings. To not spend this time going over tactics, dead-balls, goal-setting, program philosophy, team bonding activities, film, etc….etc.…etc….just save everyone, including yourself, the hassle and headache and not even hold them to begin with. I mean other coaches don’t hold them, right? So, why should you? Even if you know their inherent and long-term value, you and your players are just too worn-out to put yourselves through that, right? Of course you are…its human-nature not to be. However, what would you say if I told you that by holding these meetings your players would not only become smarter and more intelligent, but also fitter?
That’s right; what if your players could exercise and lose weight without moving a muscle? That may sound like some kind of late-night infomercial come-on, but the idea isn’t entirely preposterous…and…when looked at from the perspective of a football coach; it becomes quite an intriguing proposition: players who can train and maintain fitness while sitting still?
After all, pound for pound the most energy-intensive organ in the body isn’t muscle. It’s the brain. Though it makes up just 3 percent of the body by weight, the brain sucks up 20 percent of total energy expenditure. (That, by the way, is why more animals don’t have big brains like us: To pay for them, you have to gather more, higher-quality food or else starve to death. So far, only human beings seem to have found this proposition worthwhile).
Don’t Gag
According to research psychologist Richard Bouam, the brain burns an extra-large amount of the body’s primary internal fuel, glucose, when you flex your willpower. In a famous 2007 study,Bouam and his colleagues gave subjects tasks that required them to exert self-control. They found that doing so caused the subjects’ blood glucose levels to drop and that the plunge prevented them from using their willpower effectively in subsequent tasks. Subjects whose willpower was run down and then swilled a beverage rich in glucose had their self-control miraculously revived.
So then; if the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, then most of us football coaches would qualify as nuts. Yes, we want to change our player’s development for the better…Yes, we believe that we are capable of making that change…BUT, yet we find ourselves perennially stuck in the same old rut. There was one study that found 90 percent of coronary bypass patients had returned back to their old, unhealthy eating habits within two years of their operation – and – staying on the health tangent; another study found that a substantial majority of dieters would regain all their weight within a year—or would wind up weighing even heavier than when before started.
We football coaches fail to change time after time because we profoundly overestimate our stores of willpower. Psychologists call this failing “restraint bias.” We confidently make resolutions to change and assume we’ll be able to bulldoze our urges because we’re bad at remembering how tempting ‘remaining within our comfort zones’ can be. When we’re full, we forget how irresistible that bacon triple cheeseburger is when we’re hungry. So we allow ourselves to walk into situations in which our willpower is going to be overwhelmed.
That’s not to say that all of our football coaching careers are necessarily doomed. Coaches do transform their careers, philosophies and the ways they go about their craft every day. However, for the most part they don’t do it by relying on willpower. The key, it turns out, is to simply start behaving like the coach you want to become. Instead of wondering, What should I do?, imagine your future, better self as a coach and ask: What would they do? This approach works because of the rather surprising way that our brains form self-judgments. Numerous experiments have demonstrated that when it comes to forming beliefs about our own character and proclivities, we don’t peer inward, as you might expect; instead, we observe our own external behavior. If we see ourselves carrying out a particular action—whatever the actual motivation—our self-conception molds itself to explain that reality.
The Brainpower Diet
Looking back at Richard Bouam and his ideas, they really do make intuitive sense. After all, the feeling of effort that you experience when you push yourself hard to do a match problem is pretty similar to the sense of effort you feel when you force yourself to do physical exercise. It stands to reason that the two kinds of exertion are connected by some underlying principle…AND…glucose, the body’s universal fuel, is the perfect candidate.
Baum’s work implies that for our players’ to get into shape they don’t have to run or go to the gym. Instead they can stay at home and flex their mental muscles. It’s the best of both worlds: they can learn your programs’ philosophies, tactics and concepts; all the while you can be confident that however they choose to challenge this learning process, they’ll wind up calorically depleted and intellectually enhanced.
Unfortunately, as I’m sure you’ve already figured-out, this is just not the case and taking these implications from Baum’s work would be a huge mistake. Daniel Molden, a psychologist atNorthwestern University, was skeptical of Baum’s glucose idea from the start and wondered if there might be some other explanation of why glucose seems to bolster willpower. In one part of his experiment, Molden’s team asked subjects to do a task that demanded a lot of willpower. Then the researchers gave some of the subjects a glucose-rich beverage, while others only were allowed to rinse out their mouths with glucose solutions. It turned out that both groups experienced a surge in willpower. The result suggests that glucose seems to modulate a person’s willpower, but doesn’t fuel it after all.
An Apple…oops…I mean an Algorithm…a day will keep the Doctor away…
As a coach who refuses to give into the subconscious call of nature and continues to schedule, hold and present Team Meetings as a regularly scheduled part of any team which I manage and it’s training schedule; team meetings carrying the same weight as actual training-sessions and sometimes even more-so, I was disappointed to realize via Molden’s study that my players’ couldn’t just melt the pounds away by sitting in chairs during Team Meetings. Never-the-less, the take-home lesson is that when we’re straining hard to accomplish something, the feeling of effort isn’t caused by actual exertion of some internal force. Rather, it’s that the brain is creating a motivational state to prevent us from doing something.
In the case of physical activity, fatigue is the brain’s way of preventing us from running around willy-nilly, squandering energy and risking injury. (Cocaine and amphetamines partially override this mechanism.)
When it comes to mental effort, it’s not energy that’s being preserved but computational resources. The vast majority of the brain’s work takes place automatically and effortlessly behind the screen of consciousness. When our players decide to tackle a problem on the pitch with their conscious mind, however, they have to summon huge amounts of computational resources from areas all over the brain. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation, which is why, explains University of Toronto psychologist Keith Stanovich, “people close their eyes or look at the ceiling when thinking hard.” From an evolutionary perspective, strenuous mental problems are attention-sucking sinkholes that might stop us from noticing potential predators, violent rivals, or comely mates. So yes, “math is hard” – and evolution has told you to feel that way.
Change is Like Pulling Teeth
Never-the-less, regardless of how many times I have this discussion or how many times I spout facts or show how it’s doable and even beneficial to my players, other coaches just don’t seem to show the interest or want to make the effort of incorporating Team Meetings into their program.
In fact, to show the value of Team Meetings, my history with them, success with them and willingness and ability to present on many different topics ended-up being a major selling point when it came down to making the final decision as to whom would get the present position that I currently hold. In that same context, one of the first things we discussed adding to the curriculum was Team Meetings and had lengthy discussions about when, how long and what would be we would include in these Team Meetings. I have no empirical evidence to prove whether they were effective or not, except for the fact that the team recorded their best season in the club’s history…coincidence?…maybe?…maybe not?…that’s not really what’s important here, but rather that a highly respected professional manager was open-minded enough to see the need, importance and value that Team Meetings could bring to the club and not shut the door on the idea because it was extra work or something that wasn’t high on their list of strengths.
You see, what these other coaches just don’t get is exactly what they’re looking for. I mean, it’s really quite simple when you put your arrogance and pride aside and open up yourself to new and progressive ideas; the most effective way for both coaches and their players to move toward change is to act like they’ve already achieved it. Don’t worry about playing mind-games with yourself. Don’t worry about affirmations. The way to score goals is to act like you’ve done it before. The way to respond to a new problem faced in a match is to act like you’ve faced it before; perhaps maybe having seen it on film or have discussed it in…a Team Meeting?!??! I’ve always found that the hardest part of exercising—the only hard part, really—is putting on my shoes. Once they’re on, there’s pretty much a 100 percent chance of getting some form of workout done. Why else would I have these shoes on?
In one experiment, a researcher asked a group of subjects to take part in a bogus experiment and allowed them to win a sum of money. Afterward the researcher went up to the subjects and told them that he’d had to use his own paltry funds to subsidize the experiment; apologizing, he asked if they wouldn’t mind giving the money back, so he could continue his research. A second group of subjects performed the exact same bogus experiment and won the same prize money—but weren’t asked to give the money back. Finally, all of the experimental subjects were asked to subjectively rate the researcher’s likeability. It turned out that the ones who’d given back their prize money liked him a lot better. The reason: in order to explain our behavior to ourselves, we have to make assumptions about our own proclivities. I gave the guy money, the subjects subconsciously reasoned, so I must have liked him.
Obviously, you can’t change your internal reality overnight. However, act out the change you want, and day by day, the weight of evidence will become undeniable. Before long, the coach you pretend to be becomes the coach that you are. In another experiment, researchers recruited subjects who said they wanted to learn one new habit and asked them to perform the new behavior every day. After 60 days, most of them rated the newly learned habit as effortless to perform. What had once been a desired change was now an accepted reality. The same simple concept applies to almost anything; cessation of smoking and drinking, dieting and even a coaching philosophical change preclusive to the addition of Team Meetings.
For all my skepticism about resolutions, I must confess that I’ve tried a few over the years. On December 31, 1993, I vowed that I would give up dating. Just before midnight, I took a long, last look across the dance-floor and threw away the soda I was drinking. The next day I woke up monogamous—precariously. For the next few weeks, I’d eye the ember of friend’s passion and lust like a cat watching a canary. However I didn’t want to go back to person I’d been before the turn of the year—that womanizer…that player—and I knew that it would be a long wait for another one to come around, if one ever did again. So day after day I stuck it out, until eventually I realized that my new identity had become concrete. Not only did I not want to date any other women any longer, I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to. This New Year’s Eve I’ll celebrate my 20th year with the woman who eventually became my wife.
The bottom line, then, is that while the scientific jury still may be out on whether the Brainpower Diet can help your players maintain fitness while sitting still, numerous studies have found that elderly people who stay curious and intellectually engaged live years longer than those who don’t. Maybe the effect has something to do with the motivation to take care of oneself, stay connected with others and avoid depression…or rather the motivation to educate oneself on the game, stay connected with teammates and avoid negative situations in matches (all of which can be addressed in Team Meetings, eh?) – again – coincidence?
So when the time comes to pick yourself up and drag your weary legs into that next Team Meeting just smile and be grateful. The next hour may just be adding extra matches to the end of your season.
Argentina will be aiming for a record-breaking 16th Copa America title when they take on Colombia
The Copa America 2024 is set for an electrifying conclusion as defending champions Argentina face off against Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida on Sunday. This highly anticipated final marks the first-ever Copa America final meeting between these two footballing powerhouses. Argentina aim to secure a record-breaking 16th title, making them the most successful side in the competition’s history.
Argentina’s road to the final has been marked by grit and determination. They navigated a nerve-wracking penalty shootout against Ecuador in the quarter-finals before securing a comfortable 2-0 victory over Canada in the semi-finals. Julian Alvarez opened the scoring, followed by a historic goal from Lionel Messi, who now stands as the second-highest male goalscorer in international football with 109 goals.
Argentina’s unbeaten streak now extends to 10 matches, and they remain unbeaten in major tournament knockout games on American soil since the 1994 World Cup. It is no understatement that they go into the clash as favourites.
Colombia are no pushovers, however. They have been in exceptional form. Since their 1-0 loss to Argentina in World Cup qualifying in February 2022, they have embarked on a record-breaking unbeaten run of 28 matches.
Jefferson Lerma’s header gave Colombia the lead before Daniel Munoz’s red card put them at a numerical disadvantage against Uruguay. Despite this setback, Colombia’s resilience shone through as they held on to secure their place in the final. The victory over Uruguay was marred by a brawl involving Uruguayan players and Colombian supporters, but Colombia’s focus remained unwavering. This final represents a chance for Colombia to end a long wait since their first Copa America triumph in 2001.
Team News and Predicted XI
Argentina
For the final, Argentina face no injury or suspension issues. Head coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to maintain an unchanged lineup. The defence will feature a solid back four with Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, and Nicolas Tagliafico, with Emiliano Martinez as the goalkeeper.
In the midfield, Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo De Paul are anticipated to keep their places, even though Giovani Lo Celso and Exequiel Palacios are pushing for a start. Angel Di Maria is poised for his international farewell on the right wing. Alexis Mac Allister, who has been impressive on the international stage, will play a crucial role, linking up with Messi from the midfield.
Lionel Messi, who overcame a leg injury to play the full match against Canada, will lead the attack alongside Julian Alvarez. Lautaro Martinez, the tournament’s top scorer, is expected to begin on the bench and should be brought on in the second half.
Predicted Playing XI (4-4-2): Emi. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Lis. Martinez, Tagliafico; Mac Allister, E. Fernandez, De Paul, Di Maria; Messi, Alvarez
Colombia
With Daniel Munoz suspended, Santiago Arias is set to start at right-back, joining Davinson Sanchez, Carlos Cuesta, and Johan Mojica in a solid four-man backline. Camilo Vargas will likely be the goalkeeper.
In midfield, Jefferson Lerma and Richard Ríos are expected to form the double pivot, providing protection for the defence and allowing the attacking players to push forward.
Captain James Rodriguez, who has recorded a tournament-high six assists, will continue in the number 10 role. He will be supported by Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and Fluminense’s Jhon Arias on the flanks.
Jhon Cordoba, who has contributed with two goals and two assists, is expected to lead the attack, with Jhon Duran and Rafael Santos Borre available as options.
Predicted Playing XI (4-2-3-1): Vargas; Santiago Arias, Sanchez, Cuesta, Mojica; Rios, Lerma; Jhon Arias, Rodriguez, Diaz; Cordoba
Key Stats
- Victory will see Argentina win their 16th Copa America title, making them the most successful side in the competition’s illustrious history.
- Colombia are unbeaten in their last 28 international games.
- Argentina have won 26 of their 43 meetings against Colombia in all competitions.
- A win for Colombia will see them win just their second Copa America title, their first since 2001.
Match Deciding Duel
Enzo Fernandez (Argentina) vs James Rodriguez (Colombia)
Argentina have been solid in defence and penetrating their backline has proven to be a challenge for most sides in the competition. Colombia have a rather dynamic attack but will depend on the veteran James Rodriguez to act as the playmaker.
With the likes of Luis Diaz able to make the most of opportunities, the onus will be on Enzo Fernandez to ensure Rodriguez does not have space to manoeuvre in. The duel between the two players could certainly set the tone for which way the cookie crumbles on the night.
Prediction
Argentina 2-1 Colombia
The clash is likely to be an entertaining one with the midfield battle expected to set the tone for the result. Argentina. however, have more strength in depth and the ability to bring a player of Lautaro Martinez’s calibre off the bench in the second half is akin to a cheat code. The Inter Milan star is expected to lead the defending champions to a close 2-1 win on the night.
Spain and England will face off for continental supremacy in the Euro 2024 final
As Euro 2024 reaches its climax, the football world braces for a thrilling final between Spain and England at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This highly anticipated match will determine the champions of Europe, with Spain looking to add to their illustrious history and England aiming to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy for the first time.
Spain, guided by Luis de la Fuente, entered the tournament somewhat under the radar but quickly established themselves as a formidable contender. They navigated the so-called ‘Group of Death’ with ease, securing nine points from three matches against Croatia, Italy, and Albania. Impressively, they emerged from the group stage without conceding a goal to an opposition player.
In the knockout stages, Spain demonstrated their resilience and quality. A stunning 4-1 comeback against Georgia in the last-16 and a tense extra-time victory over hosts Germany in the quarter-finals showcased their grit and talent. The semi-final against France was another test of their mettle, with young star Lamine Yamal lighting up the Allianz Arena and Dani Olmo sealing the win.
Spain’s journey to the final has not been without challenges, but their blend of experience and youthful exuberance has seen them through. They now stand on the brink of history, aiming to become the first European men’s team to win four major tournaments consecutively.
England’s Euro 2024 campaign has been a rollercoaster. Gareth Southgate’s men had a mixed group stage, winning only once against Serbia and drawing against Denmark and Slovenia. Their knockout phase has been a tale of resilience and drama, coming from behind in both the last-16 and quarter-finals.
A lacklustre win over Slovakia and a penalty shootout victory against Switzerland set the stage for a semi-final clash with the Netherlands. Despite early setbacks, including a goal from Dutch prodigy Xavi Simons, England produced their best performance of the tournament. A late winner from Ollie Watkins, following a perfect penalty from Harry Kane, propelled them to their second consecutive Euro final.
Southgate’s squad has shown incredible determination and character, setting new records along the way. Kane’s scoring feats and the team’s ability to perform under pressure have been pivotal to their success.
We take a look at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News and Predicted XI
Spain
Spain’s bad-tempered quarter-final against Germany saw Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand fall foul of the referee, leading to their suspensions for the semi-final. Both players are now back at De la Fuente’s disposal, bringing much-needed fresh legs to the Roja XI. Carvajal will replace Jesus Navas, while Le Normand should push Nacho to the bench.
Spain are expected to maintain a 4-3-3 formation with Unai Simon in goal. Daniel Carvajal and Marc Cucurella should hold the flanks in defence, while Robin Le Normand and Aymeric Laporte should form the centre-back pairing. Rodri should form the midfield pivot, with Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz pushing forward.
Skipper Alvaro Morata should lead the line with the electric duo of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams providing support. Morata was initially a concern given his freak injury after the win against France. Thankfully for Spain, he trained normally and should lead them out.
Predicted Playing XI (4-3-3): Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Ruiz, Rodri, Olmo; Yamal, Morata, Williams
England
England arrive in Berlin with a fully fit squad, including Luke Shaw, who has recovered from injury. Shaw’s performance against Switzerland and his effective stint in the semi-final suggests he may start, replacing Kieran Trippier at left-back.
Southgate is likely to stick with his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. Jordan Pickford will guard the goal, with a back three of John Stones, Harry Maguire, and Marc Guehi.
Shaw and Kyle Walker will operate as wing-backs, while Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham form the midfield pivot. Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka will support captain Harry Kane in attack. Southgate has enough game-changers on the bench and it remains to be seen if he will have the nerve to make bold calls or play the long game and roll the dice.
Predicted Playing XI (4-3-3): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi; Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Shaw; Bellingham, Foden; Kane
Key Stats
- A victory on the night will see Spain secure their fourth title, making them the most successful side in the competition’s history.
- A win for England will see them triumph in the European Championships for the first time in their history.
- Spain and England have faced off 27 times in all competitions. La Roja have won 10 games while England have won 14. Three games ended in a draw.
- England have never lost to Spain in a UEFA European Championship clash before.
Match Deciding Duel
Lamine Yamal (Spain) vs Luke Shaw (Spain)
Lamal has been a critical difference-maker for Spain in this year’s tournament and will hope to end it on a high. Up against the recently returned Luke Shaw, he will aim to run rings against the English veteran.
Shaw’s ability to get caught out could provide Yamal the space he needs to run into and put the English backline into disarray. This should also subsequently free up Dani Olmo to make his trademarks into the box.
Prediction
Spain 1-1 England (Spain to Win on Penalties)
England will be keen to end their trophy drought and also go one better than last time around. While they have a strong squad with plenty of depth, Southgate’s inability to take calculated risks should play right into Spain’s hands. It remains unlikely that the trophy will go ‘home’ anytime soon.
Argentina and Canada will face off in the first semifinal of Copa America 2024, a repeat of the competition opener from Group A
Canada have a golden opportunity to make history as they face defending champions Argentina in the first semi-final of Copa America 2024 at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.
In a rematch of their tournament opener, Canada can become the second CONCACAF team to reach the Copa America final. Both sides advanced to the semi-finals via penalty shootouts, with Argentina defeating Ecuador and Canada overcoming Venezuela after 1-1 draws in regular time respectively.
Argentina’s path to the semi-finals has been fortified by their exceptional defence and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. The victory over Ecuador secures their fifth consecutive appearance in the Copa America semi-finals. Historically, Argentina have been strong at this stage, progressing in seven of their last eight attempts, with the only setback being against Brazil in 2019.
A triumph on Tuesday would mark the first time Argentina reached the Copa America final as defending champions since 1959. Scaloni’s team has been defensively sound, conceding just once throughout the tournament. The Albiceleste are unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions, allowing only three goals during this period.
On the other hand, Canada has shown remarkable resilience since their initial loss to Argentina. Jesse Marsch’s squad has conceded just once in their last three games. They are the third CONCACAF team to reach the Copa America semi-finals in their debut appearance, following Honduras and Mexico. They are also the first from the region to advance this far since the USA in 2016.
This semi-final marks Canada’s fifth appearance in the final four of a continental tournament this century. They have progressed beyond this stage twice, in the 2023 Nations League and the 2000 Gold Cup. Canada aims to emulate Mexico’s 2001 Copa America run, where Mexico reached the final before losing to Colombia.
Argentina’s defensive stability and tactical discipline under Scaloni will be pivotal, also giving their world-class frontline a base to build upon. Canada, under Marsch, has transformed into a more disciplined and resilient team. Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies will be crucial in breaking down Argentina’s defence. SoccerSouls takes a closer look at this clash.
Team News and Predicted XI
Argentina
Lionel Messi was not at his best against Ecuador and will be keen to make amends for the penalty miss in the shootout. he missed the final group game with a hamstring injury but now appears to be back to full fitness.
Lionel Scaloni is likely to retain his flexible 4-3-3 formation with Emiliano Martínez in goal. He should be protected by the back four of Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez and Marcos Acuna.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes should perform the role of the pivot in the centre, giving Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister and the dynamic Rodrigo De Paul the freedom to push forward. Lionel Messi is expected to don the playmaker’s role with Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez leading the line. Angel Di Maria will offer Argentina another option off the bench should they need to shift gears.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Emi. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Li. Martinez, Acuna; Mac Allister, Paredes, De Paul; Messi, La. Martinez, Alvarez
Canada
Inter Milan Tajon Buchanan remains a major doubt for Canada after he suffered a broken tibia during training just days before their match against Venezuela. This injury puts his participation in doubt not just for the semi-final clash against Argentina but also for the remainder of the tournament.
Jesse Marsch has an otherwise fully fit squad to choose from for the clash and is expected to set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Maxime Crépeau in goal. The shot-stopper should be protected by the back four of Alistair Johnston, Moise Bombito, Derek Cornelius, and Alphonso Davies.
Stephen Eustáquio and Jonathan Osorio should form the double pivot, freeing up Jonathan David to act as the playmaker. Cyle Larin should start up front, with Richie Laryea and Jacob Shaffelburg providing support out wide.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Crepeau; Johnston, Bombito, Cornelius, Davies; Osorio, Eustaquio; Laryea, David, Shaffelburg; Larin
Key Stats
- Argentina have never conceded a goal against Canada.
- Argentina have not lost a major tournament match on U.S. soil since a 3-2 defeat to Romania in the 1994 World Cup’s round of 16.
- A win on the night will see Canmada make it to their first-ever Copa America final at the first time of asking.
- Argentina have not made it to the final of the competition as defending champions since 1959.
Match Deciding Duel
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) vs Derek Cornelius (Canada)
Lautaro Martinez is the top scorer in the tournament this season and has made it a habit of scoring late goals for Argentina. This augurs well for a side that is defensively compact, giving them a second wind to settle the game as the opposition gets tired. Derek Cornelius will have his hands full all night but will know that he cannot slack off for even a second with Martinez on the prowl.
Argentina’s ability to score late coupled with Canada’s vulnerabilities in the second half of the game makes for a thrilling finale in the final 30 minutes of the first semifinal. While Argentina do have several threats and matchwinners in their lineup, Martinez’s clinical touch has given them the edge this summer. He will certainly be aiming to make a difference once again on Tuesday.
Transfer Watch
Jonathan David
The LOSC Lille attacker is Canada’s trump card going forward and is expected to leave the Ligue 1 giants this summer. David is a pacy player whose ability to get into space and clinical ability in the box helps make a difference. While several clubs are keeping tabs on him, a solid showing against the defending FIFA World Cup holders will only help boost his profile among potential suitors.
David will be up against the meanest defence in the competition on the night. The duo of Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez aren’t just formidable defenders but their ‘take no prisoners’ approach will certainly add a physical element to the duel. David is unlikely to come up against a meaner backline in the competition and how well he handles this challenge could determine his stock this summer.
Prediction
Argentina 2-0 Canada
Both teams will be familiar with each other having felt each other out on the opening day. The stakes are much higher this time round and Canada will be hoping for a monumental upset. Argentina were handed a late scare against Ecuador and that perhaps will ensure they don’t take Tuesday’s game for granted. The game should be a hard-fought one with Argentina’s match winners making the difference in the second half of the game.
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