United States vs Bolivia Preview & Prediction | 2024 Copa America | Group Stage
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Reigning champions of North America after winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer, the United States are hosting a Copa America that they will believe they can reach the latter stages of as they kick off against one of the weaker South American sides, Bolivia.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 23rd June, 2024 - UK – 11:00pm & Saturday 22nd June, 2024 - US EST – 6:00pm / US PST – 4:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – Fox Sports & TUDN
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Premier Sports / US – Univision, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, ViX
UNITED STATES PREVIEW: MIXING IT WITH THE BEST
After a controversial 18 months or so with the re-hiring of Gregg Berhalter following the Claudio and Gio Reyna affair, the United States come into this tournament with a well balanced and experienced side that still has quite a lot of youthful energy, especially in attacking areas.
They were, though, recently humbled by five goals to one in a warm-up friendly against Colombia with the South Americans running riot at FedExField before the USMNT then shared a 1-1 draw with Brazil at the Camping World Stadium.
BOLIVIA PREVIEW: SOUTH AMERICAN STRUGGLERS
It is a regular occurrence for Bolivia to finish at the bottom or at least second-bottom of the CONMEBOL ten-team round robin table for FIFA World Cup qualification but they have won one of their opening six matches this time around so do sit above Peru in the table.
They are the weakest side from the South American continent and are perhaps in the running to be the weakest in this competition, too. They come into this one on the back of a 3-0 hammering at the hands of the aforementioned Colombia after defeats to Ecuador and Mexico in preparation.
UNITED STATES TEAM NEWS: FULFILLING POTENTIAL
The United States have often preferred not to play a team whereby names and reputation overrule form but we may well indeed see a middle five that has been talked about for a long time with Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah behind Tim Weah, Gio Reyna and Christian Pulisic.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Turner; Scally, Richards, Ream, Robinson; McKennie, Musah; Weah, Reyna, Pulisic; Pepi
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
BOLIVIA TEAM NEWS: SITTING BACK & BEING SOLID
Bolivia do not have many options in their squad apart from playing what will be a defensive and dogged 3-5-2 system. That is exemplified by the fact an out and out full-back in Roberto Fernandez will be tasked with being one of their major attacking outlets at wing-back.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Guillermo Viscarra; Jose Sagredo, Luis Haquin, Jesus Sagredo; Leonel Justiniano, Jaume Cuellar, Marcelo Suarez, Robson Tome, Roberto Fernandez; Cesar Menacho, Bruno Miranda
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
UNITED STATES VS BOLIVIA PREDICTION
It is sometimes difficult to understand the relative quality of nations across continents and that is why there is some doubt about how the United States will fare against Bolivia in this opener. However, in simpler terms, this is a US side that will look to go relatively deep into the knockouts of the next FIFA World Cup against a Bolivian side that are unlikely to even get near qualification for it, despite seventh, out of ten, being enough for a playoff spot in CONMEBOL qualifying. At home, too, the United States will expect to get off to a flyer.
UNITED STATES VS BOLIVIA TIP: UNITED STATES TO WIN -1 HANDICAP
