Group C will get under way when Uruguay play Ecuador in Belo Horizonte on Sunday. Uruguay are the favorites to top the group whilst Ecuador will be looking to upset the odds.
With 15 tournament wins, Uruguay are the most successful team in the history of the Copa America and certainly have the squad to challenge again this year.
Head coach Oscar Tabarez has been with Uruguay since 2006 and knows his squad inside out. He guided his side to Copa America victory in 2011 and knows what it takes navigate his way through a tournament.
With that being said, their form coming into the tournament is mixed. They have won their last 3 matches but lost their 4 games prior to that.
Ecuador are without a win all year and they will need to bring their A game against Uruguay if they are to get anything from this match.
They are one of only two South American countries to have never lifted the Copa. Fourth place finishes in 1959 and 1993 are their best performances to date but a quarter-final appearance in 2016 will have instilled confidence into this group of players.
Ecuador have also qualified for three of the last five World Cups and have proved to everyone in recent years that they have the potential to cause an upset in tournament football.
If an upset is on the cards, the more experienced heads in their squad will have to perform. They aren’t blessed with the big-name stars of Uruguay but do possess some dangerous players.
Enner Valencia is their go-to man for goals and namesake Antonio Valencia has enjoyed a successful ten-year career with Manchester United.
On the other hand, Uruguay have some of the world’s finest players. Diego Godin, Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez are just a few of the many world-class players in their squad.
Uruguay have won 30 of the 47 meetings between the two sides and their most recent victory came in 2016 with a 2-1 win in a World Cup qualification match.
Uruguay are one the favorites to win the tournament this year and Ecuador are definitely seen as outsiders. It’s likely that Uruguay will cruise to a winning start and send out a message to the other tournament favorites.
Forebet predicts a comfortable win for Uruguay.