La Plata is the venue for Argentina v Bolivia today, the opening game of 2011's South American Championship - the Copa America. The 24-team tournament culminates in the final at River Plate's Monumental Stadium (pic) - the scene of riots on Sunday when the club was relegated for the first time in its 110-year history. The ten South American nations are joined by guests Costa Rica and Mexico. El Tri are fresh from winning the Gold Cup last week but are bringing a domestically-based squad instead, with the exception of Giovani Dos Santos, scorer of the winner against the USA in the Rose Bowl. The hosts, now led by Sergio Battista following Diego Maradona's exit, have an overwhelmingly foreign-based squad, with only goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo playing his club football in Argentina. Group A: Argentina , Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica Group B: Brazil , Paraguay , Ecuador, Venezuela Group C: Uruguay , Chile , Peru, Mexico Teams in blue qualified for the 2010 World Cup Finals Brazil have won the previous two Copa Americas, defeating Argentina in the final both times. The following edition is set to be held in Brazil in 2015, a year after the World Cup Finals. *A record total of 209 million Japanese viewers tuned in to January's Asian Cup , 43% of the total viewing figures, according to the Asian Football Confederation. More than 80 countries worldwide transmitted pictures of the tournament, which was won by Japan. The most-watched match was the Japan v South Korea semi-final, which drew 63 million TV spectators, followed by 54.4 million for the Japan v Australia final. * FIFA Women's World Cup results: Group Stage Germany 1:0 Nigeria France 4:0 Canada USA 2:0 North Korea Sweden 1:0 Colombia Today: Japan v Mexico, England v New Zealand *FIFA U-17 World Cup, Mexico Quarter-Final lineup Sun 3rd July - Uruguay v Uzbekistan, Japan v Brazil Mon 4th July - England v Germany, France v Mexico - Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

Japan have withdrawn again from July's Copa America once again. The JFA initially pulled out when March's earthquake and tsunami forced the J-League to reschedule during the Copa America, but re-entered the competition following discussions with CONMEBOL, who were still keen for Japan to take part. Now Chief Executive Junji Ogura has confirmed there will be no Japanese presence in Argentina after both J-League and European clubs signalled their reluctance to release players. The stumbling block for the 15 European clubs holding Japanese players was the early start of their league season, because of Euro 2012. JFA Technical Director Hiromi Hara flew to Europe for discussions with almost a dozen clubs but came back empty-handed as clubs had complained the Copa America was essentially only a friendly tournament for Japan. The JFA opted not to send a B team to the tournament, as the USA had done in 2007, where it lost all its matches. Costa Rica are expected to be confirmed as Japan's replacement. -Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

Japan will enter the Copa America as a guest in July after all. Vice-President Kohzo Tashima has confirmed the JFA will send a team of pr edominantly Europe-based players to the tournament, which takes place in Argentina between the 1st and 24th of July. "By playing in the tournament," said Tashima, "we can show the rest of the world how the country of Japan is fighting. If we don’t take part in the tournament, it could present a negative impression." J-League fixtures postponed because of March's earthquake and tsunami have been r esc heduled for the same period, which initially caused the JFA to withdraw. But promises of financial aid from CONMEBOL forced a re-think. The Asian Cup holders will face Colombia and Bolivia before a clash with the hosts in Cordoba . The top two in three groups plus the two best-placed third-place teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. Group B 1st Round 02/07/11, Jujuy: Colombia v Japan 07/07/11, Jujuy: Bolivia v Japan 11/07/11, Cordoba: Argentina v Japan -Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

CONMEBOL have asked the JFA to think again after Japan withdrew from this summer's Copa America. JFA President Junji Ogura told former FIFA Executive Co mmittee colleagues Julio Grondona & Nicolas Leoz in Buenos Aires this week that Japan had no plans to travel to Argentina following the turmoil caused to the J-League after March's devastating earthquake and tsunami. As it stands, the J-League is due to fulfill its postponed fixtures in July at the same time as the Copa America, creating a club v country headache. Spain were hastily offered Japan's place but the JFA have now been given until Friday the 15th of April to decide whether to participate after all. CONMEBOL are understood to have tempted the JFA with a profit share to help disaster relief efforts in Japan. In addition to the ten South American nations, Mexico once more make up the numbers in the twelve-team competition, which concludes on the 24th of July with the final in Buenos Aires' Estadio Monumental, home of River Plate. Copa America 2011 - 1st - 24th July, Argentina FIFA World Rankings in brackets Group A Argentina (4) Colombia (50) Bolivia (97) Japan (15)/ Spain (1) Group B Brazil (5) Paraguay (24) Ecuador (49) Venezuela (63) Group C Uruguay (7) Chile (14) Peru (59) Mexico (27) (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile; photo by Iman Simon. Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

Five days after Mexico beat Ghana 2-1 in London, Hugo Sanchez was fired as Mexico's coach. How so? He had only been in charge a year and a half, so what went so badly wrong? Under his tenure, Mexico lost the Gold Cup final 2-1 to the USA in Chicago, but that should have been no reason for dismissal since the CONCACAF bragging rights definitively crossed the Rio Grande when the States downed El Tri 2-0 back in the 2002 World Cup. Mexico also thumped Paraguay 6-0 and beat Brazil, yes Brazil, 2-0 in last summer's Copa America in Venezuela, before finishing third overall; another reason not to sack him one would have thought. Expectations had been raised by the fact Mexico won the U17 World Cup in 2005 and reached the last eight of the U20 World Cup in 2007, and thus the recent failure of the U23s to qualify for the Beijing Olympics was the biggest casus belli for the Federation. Olympic soccer is roughtly on a par with five-a-side football for most European nations, but apparently not so in Mexico, where the national team coach, in this case Sanchez, is also tasked with coaching the team to go to the Olympics. “We want leaders; we cannot accept another failure, another Olympic failure,” said Justino Compeán, the Mexican federation president. “If that was difficult, could you imagine if Mexico didn’t make it to South Africa?” Sanchez was perceived as arrogant and too much his own man, which got him on the wrong side of the big clubs, whose directors, each with one vote, ultimately blew the whistle on his tenure. He was dismissed 16-1, his only supporter being his old team, Pumas. But don't we want coaches to be Brian Cloughs and not Graham Taylors? That Premier League clubs could decide the England manager is a horrifying idea, but that it is they way they do it in Mexico. Criticisms of Sanchez's rigid playing style are easier to entertain. Mexico were playing with some flair under previous coach Ricardo La Volpe but seemed to stutter into stifling 4-4-2 inflexibility under Sanchez. Even in the flattering 2-1 win over Ghana, it was clear the full backs were not overlapping and that the static central midfield was inferior to that of the free-running Africans. But I still think the sacking was premature. A year and a half is not that long for any coach, especially one who sees his players so rarely, and while the Olympic team fell short, is that really that important? Mexico were always going to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, given that CONCACAF is the beneficiary of FIFA's largesse with three and a half places in the finals. And when it comes to the finals, Mexico reached the 1986 quarter finals (in Mexico), but otherwise have never advanced beyond the second round. Therein perhaps lies the key to Sanchez' sacking. A large and Latin football-mad nation naturally has some arrogance welled up as a result. That it has never achieved anything of note on the world stage is a source of constant frustration, so the fans look to the Olympics for some succour. Appointing its soccer icon as national team coach was always a dream waiting to be actualised, but like so many other countries and clubs have found out, the best players rarely make good coaches. Sanchez obviously made enough enemies amongst the league clubs to be voted out of office so comprehensively, but his record was not that bad. He walks away at least $8 million richer, but Sanchez' firing over a failed Olympic qualification (as if that really mattered) only masks the perennial failure of what should be one of the major football nations to take its place at the high table of world soccer. Mexico have perhaps unrealistic expectations of one man to cure their ills, but rather like another great underachiever, England, they are also guilty of using him as a scapegoat so they won't have to look themselves in the mirror. Rather than analysing what Sanchez did wrong, the Mexicans should be wondering what is it about their domestic football culture that has kept their national team so mediocre for so long. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Brazil confounded the doubters to bag their fourth Copa America title in five, beating much-fancied Argentina 3-0 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. The two South American giants had met in the previous final in 2004 in Peru, which Brazil had won on penalties after a 2-2 draw, but it was their old rivals who had been the more impressive going into this game. Brazil had lost their opening match 2-0 to Mexico while Argentina had dazzled the tournament with some fireworks football, blitzing all opposition including Mexico 3-0 in the semi-final. Much was expected of their three musketeers of Juan Riquelme, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi, but before the albiceleste could find their feet in the 34C Venezuelan afternoon, Julio Baptista gave Brazil a dream start with a thumping strike in the fourth minute. Baptista, who was on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid last season, picked up a long spear from Elano, took two taps to beat veteran Roberto Ayala and then rifled past a frozen Roberto Abbondanzieri in the Argentina goal to give Brazil the lead. Riquelme hit the post with Argentina’s first attack five minutes later and a dream final looked in the making. Argentina then took the game to Brazil but always looked vulnerable to a swift counter from their more muscular opponents. Riquelme then drew a diving save from Brazil goalie Doni before disaster struck again for the albiceleste. Five minutes before the break, Daniel Alves swung over a cross from the right and the unlucky Ayala, threatened by the lurking Vagner Love, stretched and turned the ball into his own net. Two-nil down, Argentina laboured hard in their efforts to eke out a comeback, only to succumb again to a break in the 69th minute. Vagner Love carried the ball forward against the retreating Argentina defenders before releasing Alves, who found the net with an inch-perfect diagonal drive to make it 3-0. Carlos was the victim of a split-second offside call error late on as he found the goal, but otherwise his country was well-beaten by the hitherto-underrated holders. Brazil’s strength and power comfortably dominated Argentina’s skill and finesse, and every time the albiceleste strove to drag themselves back into the match, their silky techinique ran aground against a yellow wall of rugged tackles and massed defending.

Sunday's Copa America final has a familiar look to it as Argentina dismissed Mexico 3-0 in the second semi-final to set up a meeting with old foes Brazil for the championship. CONCACAF guests Mexico had threatened to trespass on the CONMEBOL showpiece event ever since they beat holders Brazil 2-0 in their opening match, and yesterday in Puerto Ordaz los tricolores began strongly, threatening the favourites with a number of thrusts through the middle in the first half. But the Mexicans were guilty of over-elaboration when it came to shooting. Starlet Andres Guardado sold the Argentine defence a delightful dummy ten minutes before half time but delayed too long and only grazed the outside of the post when he finally let rip.

We all do things in life that we later regret. More often than not; it involves pairing off with a tubster after a heavy night on the ale; or ‘Lenny Henry syndrome’ as it’s known on the street. I am particularly ashamed of my behaviour while on a family holiday in Greece. The hotel manager struggled to understand the wife’s thick Glaswegian accent, and jumped to the conclusion that she was mentally challenged. I should really have set him straight, but a good parking space is hard to find. Being married to a Sweaty does have its drawbacks though, as an outbreak of violence is always just around the corner. I remember when I foolishly overcooked her fish supper: she dropped the nut more than a KP rep with Parkinson’s.

Holders Brazil reached the final of the 2007 Copa America by beating Uruguay 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Inter's Maicon opened the scoring for the seleçao in the 13th minute before former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan equalised for Uruguay in the 36th and ex-Arsenal man Julio Baptista sent Brazil into a 2-1 lead with a strike five minutes before the interval. Los Charrúas' Sebastián Abreu levelled matters at 2-2 in the 71st minute and no further goals followed through extra-time, resulting in a penalty shootout.

The 2007 CONMEBOL Copa America quarter-finals produced an avalanche of 22 goals this weekend in Venezuela. Much fancied Argentina's comprehensive 4-0 dismissal of Peru in Barquisimeto was the lowest-scoring of the ties. Attacking ace Juan Riquelme notched a pair of goals while Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano added to the second half blue and white windfall. The prize for Argentina is a mouth-watering semi-final clash with Mexico, the revelation of the tournament. Their semi-final is a chance for the Central Americans to bounce back after the USA pipped them 2-1 to win June's CONCACAF Gold Cup , as well as an opportunity to extract revenge from Argentina for eliminating them by the odd goal at last summer's World Cup in Germany.