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This Saturday at 7 pm (local time) the Women’s Copa América will be defined in Colombia. A game that pits the two best performing teams in the tournament against each other. Colombia and Brazil will meet in a game that promises to show the quality of South American women’s football.
When the initial whistle sounds at the Alfonso López stadium in the Colombian city of Bucaramanga, the final duel between two undefeated teams will open. 90 minutes will define whether it is Colombia or Brazil who will lose their perfect streak and who will win this edition of the Copa América Femenina.
The match pits the two teams with the best performance against each other, but Brazil is still the favorite, having won seven of the nine cups in which it has participated. For its part, Colombia, at home, will seek to achieve a historic feat and leave their first trophy of the tournament at home.
The tricolor trusts its route. This is how their captain, Daniela Montoya, believes: “They are the favorites, but we want to continue making history in our country and with all our people.”
While Brazil is not confident. “As much as Brazil is a favourite, a final game is very difficult, and anything can happen. The champion will be the one who best manages the ball during the game,” says the Brazilian captain, Rafaelle Souza.
The final will not only define who will enlarge their record, but will give a ticket to play in the UEFA-Conmebol Champions Cup. Thus, Colombia or Brazil will face the winner of the European Championship.
At stake is also the largest prize money ever allocated for a Women’s Copa America: first place will win $1,500,000, while second place will receive $500,000.
How do the selections arrive?
They have not known defeat. Both Brazil and Colombia have won all their duels. However, the number of goals makes the difference. The ‘Canarinha’ has scored 19 goals and the Tricolor, 14.
The difference between both arches differs. That of the Brazilian Lorena Leite has remained zero, while that of the Colombian Catalina Pérez has received three goals.
Brazil easily defeated all the teams in their group: Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru. And Colombia beat Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador.
In the semifinals, the Brazilians scored two goals against the Paraguayans and the Colombians beat the Argentines by the slightest difference.
For their part, the albiscelestes took third place in the competition, defeating Paraguay 3-1 this Friday.
How have your previous meetings been?
Six matches of the Women’s Copa América have faced Colombia and Brazil and the balance is heavily tilted towards the ‘Canarinha’ that has won all the duels except one that ended in a draw.
Colombia managed to take a point on September 28, 2014 in the tournament that was played in Ecuador. With this, the tricolor was second and could qualify for the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
Scorers, surprises and leaders
The Colombian National Team has been consolidated with experienced players and new faces.
Catalina Usme is one of the referents. At 32 years old, the midfielder has played more than 50 games for the national team and has earned a leading position on the pitch. Her goalscoring spirit left her as the player with the most goals in the previous version of the Copa América. And in her club, América de Cali, she also does the same. In the last edition she scored 15 goals and made four assists.
At his side, Leicy Santos. Originally from Lorica, a small municipality in the northeast of Colombia, she has played 36 matches and has scored five goals in the yellow jersey. Santos has the rhythm of the game and with her vision of the game she has made six assists. She started her career at the Colombian club Independiente Santa Fe, but her talent took her to the Spanish team Atlético de Madrid. In the Old Continent she has been decorated with several awards as the best Latin American player in the Spanish League.
The surprise of the championship has its own name: Linda Caicedo. Her power, dribbling and handling of her two legs have made her shine in the championship. At just 17 years old, Caicedo scored his first goal of the competition against Argentina and put Colombia in the final.
On the Brazilian side there are many figures that stand out and that have constituted a team that is a reference worldwide. At the top of the pitch is Adriana Leal da Silva. The striker has scored five goals and is the tournament’s top Brazilian scorer. She plays for Corinthians in Brazil and in her country she is known as ‘Maga’. She is 25 years old.
The spirit and quality of Brazilian football is in Débora Cristiane de Oliveira’s blood. The 31-year-old experienced player is known as Debinha and she has already scored four goals in the competition.
And the scoring power of the green-yellow team is completed by Beatriz Zaneratto, who has already scored three goals and four assists. In the semi-final ‘Bia’ showed his quality by scoring and making the pass for the first goal of the game, key actions to lead Brazil to a new final.
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