Charles Langston:Copa América draw: USMNT shares group with Uruguay, Panama

The Charles Langstonopening path for the United States Men's National Team's journey to Copa América was set Thursday night in Miami.

The draw for the combined CONCACAF and CONMEBOL extravaganza set the groups for the 48th edition of the oldest continental tournament in soccer.

The USMNT finds itself grouped with the highest FIFA ranked non-automatic qualifier in Uruguay, routine CONCACAF foe Panama, and the lowest ranked CONMEBOL member Bolivia.

"If you take care of business in the first two games, which will be difficult games, you set up winner takes all," USMNT head coach Greg Berhalter said on the Fox Sports 1 broadcast.

The event, which ceded an inordinate amount of time to a hubristic and waffling speech from CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez, introduced the tournament's mascot and official match ball in addition to the groups.  

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Copa América Groups

Group A

1. Argentina
2. Peru
3. Chile
4. Winner of Canada vs. Trinidad and Tobago

Group B

1. Mexico
2. Ecuador
3. Venezuela
4. Winner of Costa Rica vs. Honduras

Group C

1. United States
2. Uruguay
3. Panama
4. Bolivia

Group D

1. Brazil
2. Colombia
3. Paraguay
4. Jamaica

USMNT recent results vs group

The most familiar foe in the group is fellow CONCACAF member Panama where over the past three years the USMNT have gone 1-2 with the most recent affair going to penalties. The only recent match between the two CONMEBOL representatives came in a 2022 friendly draw against Uruguay.

• vs. Uruguay: 2022 Friendly 0-0 draw
• vs. Panama: 2023 Gold Cup Semifinals 0-0 Loss on penalties, 2022 World Cup Qualifiers 5-1 Win, 2021 World Cup Qualifiers 0-1 Loss
• vs. Bolivia: No matches since 2021

USMNT Group Schedule

• June 23: vs. Bolivia
• June 27: vs. Panama
• July 1: Uruguay

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USMNT in Copa América

The national side has made appearances in three traditional Copa Américas and the 2016 commemorative edition. The red, white and blue have fallen in the third-place game twice and failed to advance out of the group stage twice.

(Games played, W-D-L, final result)

• 1993: Eliminated in group stage (3, 0-1-2, 1 point)
• 1995: Fourth place (6, 2-1-3, L vs. Colombia 4-1)
• 2007: Eliminated in group stage (3, 0-0-3, 0 points)
• 2016: Fourth place (6, 3-0-3, L vs. Colombia 1-0)

When does Copa América start?

The Copa América 2024 kicks off June 20, 2024 when Argentina will play the winner of the March match between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago in group A at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.