Brazil -700 Favorites to Win Copa América 2019 Group A
- Hosts kick off against wide outsiders Bolivia
- Pressure to win first competition since 2007
- Peru second-favorites ahead of Venezuela
Brazil will be looking for an impressive start when they kick off the Copa America with Group A’s opening fixture against Bolivia in Sao Paolo on Friday, June 14 (Stadio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, 8.30pm EST)
As host nation and favorites to win the competition outright, their Copa America odds are also heavily rated at -700 to win their group which features Venezuela and Peru along with Bolivia.
Copa America Group A Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brazil | -700 |
| Peru | +600 |
| Venezuela | +1400 |
| Bolivia | +3500 |
*Odds taken June 7, 2019
The Brazilians – five times World Cup winners – have not lifted a trophy since the 2007 edition of the Copa America so they are under intense pressure to triumph in their homeland.
Peru are second-favorites in the section at +600 with Venezuela at +1400 and Bolivia extreme outsiders at +3500.
Neymar was ruled out of the competition after suffering an ankle injury in a 2-0 warm-up friendly defeat of Qatar last Wednesday.
The betting suggests a comfortable start to the tournament for Brazil against Bolivia, even though they have been hit by the blow of losing star player Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain.
#Brazil Starting Lineup & Profile For #CopaAmerica 2019 l #Footballhome https://t.co/14TMrblv1f via @YouTube
— Footballhome (@footballhomevn) June 7, 2019
He was ruled out of the competition after suffering an ankle injury in a 2-0 warm-up friendly defeat of Qatar last Wednesday.
Liverpool Stars Can Build on UCL Triumph
Despite his absense, the squad remains packed with leading stars such as Liverpool’s Champions League winning pair of goalkeeper Allison Becker and forward Roberto Firmino.
They also have Manchester City’s EPL winning duo of striker Gabriel Jesus and midfielder Fernandinho, along with the rising star of Ajax’s Champions League semifinalists David Neres.
The three rival nations in the group have nobody who compares remotely with the star quality of the performers available to Brazilian coach Tite.
Dani Alves, the Paris Saint-Germain full-back, is another player adding dazzle to the Brazilian squad. But although his compatriot Phillipe Coutinho – signed for $170 million by Barcelona from Liverpool is also in the group, his star has dimmed during an unsuccessful spell at Camp Nou.
Josef Martínez is one of the stars we'll enjoy in Copa América 2019!
Do you have your album yet?
Get it here FREE SHIPPING: https://t.co/2cccYwSoqM#Panini #CopaAmerica #JosefMartinez #Venezuela #Vinotinto pic.twitter.com/JHgOfIBipk— Panini World Cup (@paniniWCUSA) May 28, 2019
The three rival nations in the group have nobody who compares remotely with the star quality of the performers available to Brazilian coach Tite.
Oddly, as well as having the improving Premier League star Richarlison of Everton, the party also includes a player named Everton – a forward who plays for Gremio in Brazil.
Tite’s team have played three fixtures during 2019. Although a 1-1 draw in Panama in March was unimpressive, they subsequently won 3-1 away in the Czech Republic before Wednesday’s defeat of Qatar.
Final Warm-Up Against Honduras
They will play Honduras in another warm-up friendly in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, June 9, 2019 at Maracana Stadium, at 3:00 pm EST.
Peru are fancied to finish second and begin their campaign against Venezuela on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at the Arena do Gremio, Porto Alegre at 3:00 pm EST.
They will be led by the 35-year-old striker Paolo Guerrero who made headlines last year when he was almost forced to missed the World Cup due to a positive drug test.
Guerrero claimed the positive test came from ingredients in a Peruvian tea. Opposing captains petitioned for him to be allowed to play and the ban was lifted by the Swiss Tribunal.
Back with the other great jersey at this year's Copa America:
Brazil (Home & Away 2019) https://t.co/TaUmYFPIHc pic.twitter.com/1ap1q83ygn— My Soccer Universe (@MySoccerUniver1) June 4, 2019
In 2011, he was the Copa America’s top goal scorer with five goals.
Peru Have Not Won Since 1975
The Peruvians have not won the tournament since 1975, but are unlikely to be challenged for the second place pass into the later stages.
Venezuela and Bolivia have consistently been among South America’s most poorly performing teams.
Squads who are determined to fight for their nation's pride are getting ready as the #CopaAmerica2019 is just around the corner.
Can the likes of Peru, who are deemed likely to pull off a surprise, dethrone Chile?
More on #CopaAmerica here 👇https://t.co/CrK5lxhlp3
— Red Bun Football (@RBFutbolTweets) June 4, 2019
Coach Ricardo Gareca took them to the World Cup in 2018 for the first time in 36 years, although they did not progress beyond the group stage.
Peru finished third in the tournament in both 2011 and 2015. They then reached the last eight when it was last staged in the USA in 2016.
Coach Ricardo Gareca took them to the World Cup in 2018 for the first time in 36 years, although they did not progress beyond the group stage.
They defeated Costa Rica 1-0 at home in their most recent fixture. Before that this year, they lost 2-0 in El Salvador and won 1-0 at home to Paraguay.
Test of Form Against Colombia
They face Colombia in a final warm-up friendly at the Stadio Monumental in Lima on Sunday.
This will allow a close-up chance to assess their form and mood ahead of the opening tournament fixture six days later.
Their star man is the West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon. He scored 11 times in 32 appearances in the EPL last season while on loan at Newcastle United.
Venezeula have never won the Copa America, although their improving standards are shown by the fact that they reached the final of the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea in 2017.
Their star man is the West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon. He scored 11 times in 32 appearances in the EPL last season while on loan at Newcastle United. They also have the full-back Tomas Rincon who plays for Torino in Italy’s Serie A.
They meet the USA in a final warm-up friendly in Cincinnati on Sunday.
Impressive Defeat of Argentina
Venezuela scored a notable 3-1 win against Argentina in March but were held 1-1 by Ecuador earlier in June. They were beaten 3-1 by Mexico in their most recent fixture in Atlanta last Thursday.
Bolivia have not won the Copa since 1963. They finished bottom of their group at the most recent tournament in 2016 after losing all three games.
They have lost all three of their most recent fixtures against South Korea, Japan and France. They have not won in seven fixtures since a 3-0 defeat of Myanmar last October.
Pick To Win Group: Brazil -700
Group Placings:
- Brazil
- Peru
- Venezuela
- Bolivia
John Dillon is a leading member of the UK's sporting media, having spent three decades as a national newspaper soccer and sports writer, broadcaster and author. He has covered five World Cups, six European Championships and was Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Express for 14 years.
