Mexico's Copa America opening match with Bolivia went as well they could have hoped for, which is to say their lackluster midfield did just enough to earn a draw.
If the Group A opener proved anything it's that el Tri doesn't have the firepower compete against anyone other a Bolivian team still looking for its first tournament win since 1997. Coach Miguel Herrera saw team captain Rafael Márquez hobbled off the pitch with a left leg injury. Timetable for Márquez's return is uncertain, leaving without a solidified game plan heading into a must-win game against Chile.
La Roja's Copa America title may come to an end this year, and not just because they're playing a watered-down Mexican team. Arturo Vidal, Claudio Bravo, and Alexis Sanchez have garnered a combined 235 caps. Not counting, Márquez, the current Mexican team has 319.
Sanchez is coming off a stellar season with Arsenal in which he scored 24 goals and made 24 assists, and Vidal played a pivotal role in securing Juventus' spot in the UEFA Champions League final earlier this month. Bravo, Chile's most capped player of all-time, is still a premier goaltender who earned a clean sheet against Ecuador in the squad's Copa America opener.
Chile is not only picked to win Group C, many have them facing Brazil in the Copa final. A win over Mexico all but guarantees the host nation a trip to the knockout stage for the third consecutive tournament.
When: Monday, June 15, 2015
Where: Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile
Kick-off: 7:30 p.m. EST
Live Stream: beIN SPORTS Connect (United States), Blue to Go (Mexico)
TV: beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español
Prediction: Márquez's injury leaves Mexico without a top tier defender against Vidal and Sanchez. El Tri won't be able to mount an offensive while they're backpedaling most of the match. Chile 3-0
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