Copa América

As the final whistle blew on Saturday's 0-0 draw between the Brazil National Team and Ecuador, boos began to ring down from fans all around the Rose Bowl. Brazil had been largely unimpressive and ineffective, punctuated only by occasional moments of magic that failed to produce anything of substance. For anyone hoping that Brazil could shake off the shackles of the 2014 World Cup and regain their spot at the top of world football, it was a depressing dose of reality. 

Mexico's 3-1 victory over Uruguay Sunday can objectively be called a triumph, and leaves Mexico in full control of their destiny in regards to reaching the Copa America Centenario group stage. The game was not an unequivocal triumph, however, as El Tri lost their sometimes-captain and some would argue best player, Andres Guardado, to a red card. 

Guardado will be suspended for Thursday's clash against Jamaica, which raises the question: what are Mexico to do in El Principito's absence?

The group stage clash between the finalists at the 2015 Copa America, Chila and Argentina, ended in favor of Argentina this time, and without the best player in the world. La Albiceleste prevailed 2-1 over the side that defeated them in penalties last year even though reigning Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi remained on the bench with a hamstring injury.

Even though they didn't have Messi, Argentina did have Angel di Maria, which was enough. He first put Argentina ahead by beating Claudio Bravo to the near post on the counter.

Neymar Jr. is both the Brazil National Team's best player and its captain, but the 24-year-old striker isn't playing in the biggest senior soccer tournament in America this summer. Because Brazil are saving him for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he's watching it from the sidelines.

The Selecao striker watched the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Willian draw with Ecuador in their first match in the Copa America Centenario while accompanied by the likes of Justin Bieber, Jamie Foxx and Lewis Hamilton.

Sunday evening, Mexico vs. Uruguay was about to kick off. The Arizona sun was gently lowering in the sky while the Uruguay National Anthem and the Mexico National Anthem were played and everyone sang and was focused on the moment, which was a moment great games are built upon.

They were focused, at least, until the Uruguay anthem was played. Because it wasn't the Uruguay National Anthem. It was the Chile National Anthem. 

Lionel Messi will not play in Argentina's Copa America Centenario opener against Chile, according to a report from AS. Messi sustained a back injury during Argentina's warmup game against Honduras, and it appears that the Chile match comes too soon for the Barcelona star. 

Mexico and Uruguay were tied 1-1 in a hard-fought Copa America group stage game Wednesday when 37-year-old Mexico captain Rafa Marquez put his stamp on the match and removed all doubt as to the merits of putting an old creaky person in the starting lineup of a major international match.

Marquez, who once partnered Carles Puyol on Barcelona's back line, was upfield for a Mexico corner when he received a pass near the corner of the six-yard box and hammered the winning goal into the net. This is not the sort of behavior we expected from Marquez.

It was Rafa Marquez. 

It was the 37-year-old patriarch of the Mexican national team who scored the game-winning goal in a thrilling four goal, two red card clash.

It was the heart and soul, the leader of the Mexican national team that sent Mexico to the top of Group C.

You can hear what all that means to Mexico fans:

Brazil vs Ecuador finished as a nil-nil draw after an intense and controversial 90 minutes which saw an Ecuador goal incorrectly disallowed. The result sees Peru stay atop Group B as leaders. 

The United States were punished 2-0 by Colombia on Friday night to open the 2016 Copa America Centenario. A heavily pro-Colombian crowd in Santa Clara, California, watched as Geoff Cameron carelessly allowed Cristian Zapata to put his side ahead early before James Rodriguez capitalized from the spot on a sophomoric handball from DeAndre Yedlin.