IFFHS CONTINENTAL NEWS - COPA AMERICA 2024 (Matchday 1)
Picture : James Rodríguez assisted in 3 editions of Copa America (2016, 2019 and 2024). The last Colombian to do it was Carlos Valderrama (1987, 1991 and 1995).
The statistics on Copa America 2024 matchday 1 (24-25 June)
USA vs Bolivia 2-0
*Copa América hosting teams won in their debut in 11 of the last 18 editions, tied 6 and suffered only 1 defeat (USA vs Colombia in 2016).
*Bolivia have only won 3 of their last 66 away games (vs Saudi Arabia, Myanmar and Nicaragua).
*Bolivia lost all their last 12 games in the Copa América. Their last game before this streak was on 15 June 2015 against Ecuador (3-2 win).
It was their only win achieved in their last 30 Copa América games.
*Christian Pulisic goal at 2 minutes 22 seconds became:
the earliest in his professional career, both with clubs and national team (surpassing the goal in a friendly vs Chile in 2019, scored at 3 minutes 26 seconds),
the second earliest goal by a non-CONMEBOL team in the Copa América, only behind Costa Rica's goal against Colombia in 2016 (Venegas at 1 minute 29 seconds).
*Pulisic became the 6th player to reach 30 goals with the United States national team, after Clint Dempsey (57), Landon Donovan (57), Jozy Altidore (42), Eric Wynalda (34), Brian McBride (30).
Uruguay vs Panama 3-1
*Uruguay's starting lineup was their youngest (average age 26 years 111 days) in Copa América in the last 20 years, since that from the game against Colombia in 2004 (25 years 105 days).
*Uruguay keep their perfect balance with Panama: 5 wins in 5 games with goal difference 18-2.
*Maxi Araújo finally broke a 13-year goalless streak for Uruguay from outside the area in the Copa América. The last one who scored a long-range goal was Luis Suárez against Peru on 19 July 2011 in the semifinals.
*Matías Viña became the 2nd Uruguayan player since 2011 to score and assist in the same Copa América, along with Luis Suárez.
*Matías Viña’s goal, assist by Nicolás de la Cruz, was the first in Copa América made by 2 players from Flamengo, since 16 August 1979 (Brazil vs Bolivia, with a goal from Tita and an assist from Léo Júnior).
*Darwin Núñez has scored in his 6th consecutive game for national team (9 goals in total during this streak).
Only Hector Scarone a century ago produced a longer such streak (7 games) for “Celeste” in its whole history.
Colombia – Paraguay 2-1
*Colombia have now undefeated streak of 24 games (19 wins and 5 draws) that stretched over almost 2.5 years (since the defeat against Argentina 0-1 in a World Cup qualifier on 2 February 2022).
It’s longest ongoing streak, ahead of those of Qatar (13), Uzbekistan (13), Senegal (11) and South Africa (10).
*Colombia won all last 9 games: the longest winning run in their history.
Besides them, only 3 South American nations had such runs: Brazil (12 times), Argentina (3 times) and Perú (once).
*Paraguay have lost their first match in an edition of the Copa América for the first time since 1975 (also against Colombia, 0-1).
Paraguay's streak (17 consecutive editions without losing in the debut) is the 2nd longest of all time in the history of competition, after Argentina’s 24 editions in a row without defeat in first match (between 1920 and 1975).
*Colombia have scored 2 headed goals in the same match for the first time in their last 76 matches in the Copa América.
*James Rodríguez is the first Colombian player with 2 assists in a Copa América match since David Ferreira (against Argentina in 2007).
*James Rodríguez assisted in 3 editions of Copa America (2016, 2019 and 2024). The last Colombian to do it was Carlos Valderrama (1987, 1991 and 1995).
Brazil vs Costa Rica 0-0
*Brazil failed to win their 5th competitive game in a row (after 1-1 vs Venezuela, 0-2 vs Uruguay, 1-2 vs Colombia, 0-1 vs Argentina) for the first time since 2001 when they had 6 such games in a row.
*Costa Rica is the 2nd team from Central America to keep a clean sheet against Brazil in a major tournament (World Cup, Copa América and Gold Cup).
The first was Honduras in the 2001 Copa América (2-0 victory).