Today marks one week since UEFA Euro 2024 got underway and we now have Copa America added to the mix after world champions Argentina kicked off their continental title defense with a 2-0 win over Canada in Atlanta. Big games are coming thick and fast. I'm Jonathan Johnson bringing you up to speed this Friday.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Friday, June 21
🇪🇺 Euro 2024: Netherlands vs. France, 3 p.m. ➡️ FOX
🇺🇸 USL: Hartford Athletic vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Golazo Network
🏆 Copa America: Peru vs. Chile, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS1
Saturday, June 22
🇪🇺 Euro 2024: Turkey vs. Portugal, 12 p.m. ➡️ FOX
🇪🇺 Euro 2024: Belgium vs. Romania, 3 p.m. ➡️ FOX
🇺🇸 MLS: Ecuador vs. Venezuela, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Pass
🇲🇽 Copa America: Mexico vs. Jamaica, 9 p.m. ➡️ FS1
Sunday, June 23
🇪🇺 Euro 2024: Switzerland vs. Germany, 3 p.m. ➡️ FOX
🇺🇸 NWSL: Portland Thorns vs. Kansas City Current, 4 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇺🇸 Copa America: USMNT vs. Bolivia, 6 p.m. ➡️ FOX
⚽ The Forward Line
💯 USMNT enter Copa America
The USMNT enters the Copa America fray on Sunday at AT&T Stadium with a Group C matchup against Bolivia as part of a bumper weekend of UEFA Euro 2024 action followed by CONMEBOL and CONCACAF sides doing battle in the U.S. On paper, this one should be a smooth entry into the tournament on home soil, but Gregg Berhalter's men were caught cold by Colombia recently, which suggested difficulties to come against South American teams. It is absolutely critical for this American outfit to start strongly in Texas as failure to do so could end hopes of top spot in Group C before facing favorites Uruguay who are second only to titleholders Argentina in Chuck Booth's Copa America power rankings.
- Booth on USMNT hopes: "Christian Pulisic is back where he made his tournament debut for the United States in Copa America 2016 with high expectations. The USMNT have had highs and lows in qualifying for this tournament but they are still among the top contenders to make it to the quarterfinals. With a tough draw, their run may end there though."
- Booth on Sunday's opponents Bolivia: "Another team in transition, Bolivia don't have a focal point in attack now that their record goal scorer Marcelo Moreno has retired. Just giving a good account of themselves and beginning to establish a platform for the future is the goal."
Although Antonio Carlo Zago's side are in poor form having lost to Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia in preparation for this tournament, La Verde do have pedigree in this competition. The 1963 winners were also runners-up in 1997 and they also made a quarterfinal run in 2015 but the reality is that this is far from being a vintage Bolivian talent pool and three straight group stage exits from 2016-2021 suggests that the USMNT will be heavy favorites. Complacency is not an option for Gregg Berhalter's men as dropped points outside of the Uruguay clash almost certainly sets the U.S. on a quarterfinal collision course with either Brazil or Colombia as Group D winners.
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
🇪🇺 Euro 2024 groups nearing decisive games
Over in Europe, this weekend will see the UEFA Euro 2024 group stage entering into the final round of games. Starting on Sunday with Group A, teams will start to fall out of the tournament or be left waiting to see if their third-placed finish was good enough to advance them to the round of 16 with the other sides finishing in the top two of each group. For now, hosts Germany and Spain are the only two sides to have secured six points from a possible six and therefore a spot in the knockout phase.
Netherlands, France, Romania, Slovakia, Turkiye and Portugal could all join those two before Sunday. There are teams who already know that they cannot make sure of their top two position until the final games with Switzerland and England both on four points which could be enough to advance to the round of 16 but equally might drop them into third place. The Three Lions are in that situation after another underwhelming display in a 1-1 draw with Denmark which followed a 1-0 win over Serbia.
- James Benge on England: "If you didn't see this game, don't worry, if you've watched much of England at a major tournament during Gareth Southgate's tenure, you've already seen it. A bright start, a nicely constructed early goal and an insistence that what they have they hold. This time the Three Lions clean sheet was sullied, a point that keeps them top of Group C likely to do little to quell the grumbles over how this galaxy of stars has been arranged. As had been the case against Serbia, nothing quite clicked for anywhere near as long as England might like it to. In the one instance where a few players were on the same wavelength, they scored.
"The pitch in Frankfurt was hardly conducive to free-flowing football but the game was there for England to control. Instead they did just what they had done against Serbia, dropping deep to defend their own penalty area for the next 72 minutes. They do that as well as any international side, it's just not a particularly shrewd tactic when you are one shot away from a problem. England never roused themselves from that setback. Group C may still be theirs to win but there is work to do for England to convince a skeptical public back home that they are on a tournament-winning trajectory."
There are big nations who will be in worse situations than England come the final games, such as Belgium, who need to beat a surprisingly strong Romania on Saturday in order to avoid a potentially premature exit in Group E and even three points from two games does not guarantee anything for the Red Devils -- even if that group could be fully balanced with three points apiece if Ukraine also win. One of Turkiye or Portugal could also lose out when they two meet in Group F on Saturday with a draw meaning that both could be on four points along with the Swiss and the English.
🔗 Top Stories
🏴 Southgate's Alexander-Arnold experiment: The Liverpool man is struggling in England's midfield and it is harming the Three Lions' Euro chances.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-0 Italy: Riccardo Calafiori's own goal sends 100% La Roja into the Euro round of 16 with two wins from two in Group B.
🇦🇷 Argentina 2-0 Canada: Lionel Messi's Albiceleste open Copa America title defense with unconvincing win over Jesse Marsch's side.
👀 Copa America talent watch: Real Madrid-bound Brazilian Endrick and Ecuador's Kendry Paez top the list of young stars to watch in the U.S. this summer.
🇲🇽 El Tri's Copa America: Why Mexican international soccer is at such a low ebb this summer despite a favorable group draw vs. Jamaica, Venezuela and Ecuador.
Don't miss CBS Sports Golazo Network's Morning Footy, now in podcast form! Our crew brings you all the news, views, highlights and laughs you need to follow the Beautiful Game in every corner of the globe, every Monday-Friday all year long.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bet
- Euro 2024: Belgium vs. Romania, Saturday, 3 p.m.
- 💰 THE PICK: Lois Openda first goal (+320) -- Belgium and Romania face off Cologne on Saturday as UEFA Euro 2024's Group E completes its second round of games. The Belgians suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia in their opening fixture so must win this. Domenico Tedesco's men were expected to finish top of the pile in this group but are suddenly compromised after a first loss under the Italy-born German tactician ending a 15-game unbeaten streak. Belgium are third in Group E and top spot could already be beyond them before kick-off if Slovakia beat Ukraine. Euro 2000 was the last time that the Belgians lost more than once in the same tournament campaign and 1930 was the last time that they lost both of their two opening games in any international competition. Belgium cannot afford to not win this so expect them to narrowly edge past Romania with a dramatic late goal from substitute Lois Openda if Romelu Lukaku cannot do the job -- again.
📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.
📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+.
3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Thursday): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is back and our coverage of the women's game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic season all year long.
👟 Kickin' It (Tuesdays): CBS Sports Golazo Network's new unfiltered interview show returns Tuesday Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch.
⚽ Call it What You Want (Monday night): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and co. cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States.
🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
