Copa America 2011 Schedule: Colombia vs. Costa Rica Match Will Shake Up Group A

With the 1-1 draw between Bolivia and Argentina, Group A has been blown wide open. A victory from either Colombia or Costa Rica in their upcoming match would launch them into sole control of Group A.

Conversely, a loss would plummet them to the bottom of the standings, with tournament favorite Argentina and an obviously dangerous Bolivian team still lying ahead.

The smart money is still on Argentina in this group, but anything can happen. Lionel Messi and Argentina aren't invincible, and a win in this match would do wonders for their confidence going forward.

Colombia could make a case for being a team to watch in this tournament if they were to jump ahead of their Group A peers with a win over Costa Rica.

Costa Rica puts forth a young team. They were a last minute addition after Japan withdrew, and are simply trying to prove their worth on an international scene.

Striker Radamel Falcao García and the rest of the Colombian team are trying to restore the team's glory. This is a country with a stellar soccer history, and the team is eager to gain back some respect from the rest of the world.

Colombia is overshadowed by Argentina's hype in Group A, but they could make a run. Colombia is unlikely to struggle against an upstart Costa Rican team. Even so, we saw what overconfidence can do to a team with Argentina's lackluster performance.

Costa Rica's Diego Madrigal, Joel Campbell and Randall Brenes will be vying for a victory over a more experienced Colombian team. Like Colombia did during their rise, Costa Rica is hoping to get very good very quickly.

That all starts with a victory in their opening match. The easiest way for both of these teams to gain some recognition is to go out and take hold of a competitive group with an early victory.

A draw would be an acceptable outcome, but that opens the door wide open for Argentina to establish dominance over the group. Having an edge on the competitor in this match while forcing Argentina to play catchup would make for an easy road past the preliminary stage.

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-Kyle Vassalo