Copa América

By the 60th minute, it was 5-0 to Chile, and Mexico were playing for pride. 

Actually, they weren't even playing for that. They still had pride. They just didn't have anything to show for it. Chile dismantled them in the midfield in the first half for two goals and pounced on dumb mistakes in the second half. 

Mexico simply weren't up to it Saturday, putting on one of those performances where you can't point the finger at any one player or decision because you have to point the finger at everyone and everything.

Argentina were heavy favorites against Venezuela Saturday, and they showed why in their play. La Albiceleste dominated and won 4-1.

Before the game, we couldn't help but feel this game might get ugly, and it did, because Argentina are really good, and they have the best player in the world.

The Copa America Centenario has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. During the group stage, we have seen the fall of two national teams who were considered top challengers for the title, and we've witnessed the rise of a pair that many people wouldn’t have put their money on to win it all before the tournament started.

Tops:

Argentina

Arguably the only team to live up to its pre-tournament expectations, Argentina seems to be on track to finally win a major title.

The USMNT will dispute Jermaine Jones' red card, the US Soccer Federation announced on Twitter earlier today.

An official protest has been filed against the cards issued to Jermaine Jones and Bobby Wood in #USAvECU

— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) June 17, 2016

I have a lot of good memories from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, not that I was there. I had Tuesdays off back then, and so for two of the Tuesdays between June 12 and July 13 2014, I drank from noon until two in the morning. I danced the night away that night, among other things, and I like to think that, somehow, my moves were inspired by Colombia’s brilliant goal celebrations from that tournament. There is no way in actuality that they were, but hey, the spirit was there. 

The USMNT beat Ecuador 2-1 in a match that pretty much had everything. Clint Dempsey bagged a goal and an assist, Gyasi Zardes grabbed the second, and Michael Arroyo pulled one back for Ecuador to set up a grandstand finale. 

Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani is the player who most disappointed in Copa America Centenario group stage. With Luis Suarez injured, he was the benchmark of La Celeste’s attack, but he left empty-handed after playing three games against Mexico, Venezuela and Jamaica in group C of the tournament.

Cavani ran and fought but never established himself as the leader of Uruguay’s front line, he never did what he does best: score goals.

There was a point, after the USMNT had been destroyed by Brazil, lost to Mexico, drew Trinidad and Tobago and lost against Guatemala, that Jurgen Klinsmann's job seemed very much on the line. 

The dizzying heights of the 2014 World Cup seemed an eternity ago. The constant cut-and-paste approach that Klinsmann seemed to take resembled a six-year-old playing FIFA. The USMNT was at its lowest point in years. 

I have to imagine that the match that took place between Argentina and Bolivia last night was a worst case scenario for Copa America 2016. It was boring, god awfully boring. Argentina was up 3-0 after half an hour and from then on in the first half the most action we saw was when the camera showed Messi sitting on the bench.

Since the crowd was shown the same footage we were on TV, they cheered at the sight of him. Those were some of the loudest cheers heard all evening.