Colombia will try to surprise on Saturday and obtain the title of the women’s Copa América for the first time against the favorite Brazil, which has eight South American trophies in nine appearances.
The match, which will be played before nearly 24,000 people at the Alfonso López stadium in Bucaramanga, will pit the two best teams in the tournament against each other, who reach the final undefeated and with their qualification for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the Games assured. Paris 2024 Olympics.
Brazil has won all five of its matches in the tournament with a record of 19 goals for and zero against.
The “cafeteras”, who also present a perfect balance, with 14 goals scored and three conceded, come from defeating Argentina 1-0 in the semifinals, the only team that has managed to snatch a regional title from Brazil —when they beat it at home in the 2006 edition.
“They are the favorites, but we want to continue making history in our country and with all our people,” said the captain of the Colombian team, Daniela Montoya. “I see a very safe team, very calm and that deserves this Cup”.
The “Canarinha” has only lost two games in its history in the tournament and has accumulated 46 wins in 49 games, but its track record does not make them confident in advance.
“As much as Brazil is a favorite, a final game is very difficult, and anything can happen. The champion will be the one who manages the ball best during the game”, said the Brazilian captain Rafaelle Souza.
The team led by Sweden’s Pia Sundhage ratified their favoritism by beating Paraguay 2-0 in the semifinals and has three of the top scorers in the tournament: Adriana, leader with five goals; Debinha (4) and Bia Zaneratto (3).
Colombia has a balanced attack and distributes its offensive share between Linda Caicedo, 17, who has been the revelation of the championship, and the attackers who play in Spanish soccer Mayra Ramírez (Levante) and Leicy Santos (Atlético de Madrid). In addition, it has Catalina Usme, who was the top scorer in the 2018 Copa América with nine goals.
Conmebol reported that the decisive match of the Copa América Femenina will feature the implementation of video arbitration (VAR) for the first time.
It was also known that the champion will receive a prize of 1,500,000 dollars, while the second will receive 500,000 dollars.
–
