JUNE 9 (Reuters) – Argentina, Paraguay and Ecuador practice in Chile ahead of impending Copa America tournament.
SHOWS:
LA SERENA, CHILE (JUNE 7, 2015) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (TVN – NO ACCESS CHILE/CNN/CHILE WEBSITES)
1. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS FROM ARGENTINE NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM LEAVING PLANE UPON ARRIVAL
2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED ARGENTINA FAN SAYING:
“We came here representing all of Argentina and we are still waiting for the arrival of 35,000 more Argentines. I’m not sure what they’re going to do about it, but we are going to make a commotion. A lot of commotion is on the way.”
3. FANS WITH ARGENTINE FLAGS WAVING TO ARGENTINA PLAYERS AS TEAM LEAVES LA SERENA AIRPORT IN BUS
4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED ARGENTINA FAN SAYING:
“Being abroad with the expectation of winning the Copa America and being able to meet up with our Argentine compatriots is a great joy. (We hope) that Argentina goes all the way and God willing that (Argentina) makes it to a final with Chile.”
5. OFFICIAL BUS FOR ARGENTINA’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM RIDING PAST
6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED CHILEAN FAN SAYING:
“We have come to see the Argentines, with the Argentines here we are supporting the coquimbanos [residents of Coquimbo]. But Chile will win the Copa America, because we are the locals.”
LA SERENA, CHILE (JUNE 7, 2015) (TVN – NO ACCESS CHILE/CNN/CHILE WEBSITES)
7. ARRIVAL OF BUS TRANSPORTING PARAGUAY’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM
8. VARIOUS OF PARAGUAY PLAYERS DURING TRAINING
9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GOALKEEPER AND CAPTAIN OF PARAGUAY’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM, JUSTO VILLAR, SAYING:
“We are starting to train, so we are already getting adapted to La Serena. Yesterday’s game [against Honduras] helped us without a doubt in many ways, so the coach is going to make conclusions – some positive, some negative and he already told us some of them today so during the week we will try to improve some things.”
SANTIAGO, CHILE (JUNE 8, 2015) (TVN – NO ACCESS CHILE/CNN/CHILE WEBSITES)
10. VARIOUS OF BUS FOR ECUADOR’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM ARRIVING AT HOTEL WITH TRAINERS AND PLAYERS GETTING OUT OF BUS
11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STRIKER FOR ECUADOR’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM, ENNER VALENCIA, SAYING:
“Chile is the host, one of the favourites. We know the potential it has and we need to study it in order to counter it.”
SANTIAGO, CHILE (JUNE 7, 2015) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (TVN – NO ACCESS CHILE/CNN/CHILE WEBSITES)
12. VARIOUS OF BARCELONA PLAYER AND CHILE’S GOALKEEPER AND CAPTAIN, CLAUDIO BRAVO LEAVING SANTIAGO AIRPORT TO MEET UP WITH TEAM
STORY: Argentina, Paraguay and Ecuador’s national soccer teams were in Chile on Monday (June 8) ahead of the Copa America championship that kicks off on June 11.
Argentina arrived in the city of La Serena on Sunday (June 7) and was welcomed by Argentine fans.
“We came here representing all of Argentina and we are still waiting for the arrival of 35,000 more Argentines. I’m not sure what they’re going to do about it, but we are going to make a commotion. A lot of commotion is on the way,” said one man who had travelled to neighbouring Chile to cheer on Argentina’s national team, known as “La Albiceleste.”
Argentina impressed in the leadup to the tournament in Chile, with Sergio Aguero scoring a hat-trick and Angel Di Maria a brace in their 5-0 demolition of Bolivia in San Juan on Saturday (June 6).
“Being abroad with the expectation of winning the Copa America and being able to meet up with our Argentine compatriots is a great joy. (We hope) that Argentina goes all the way and God willing that (Argentina) makes it to a final with Chile,” said an excited Argentina fan.
Argentina, in Group B with Paraguay, Jamaica and Uruguay, is hoping to win its first Copa America title in 22 years.
Chilean fans, however, hope the home advantage will help their team take the title.
“We have come to see the Argentines, with the Argentines here we are supporting the coquimbanos [residents of Coquimbo]. But Chile will win the Copa America, because we are the locals,” said one Chile fan.
Paraguay’s side, also already in La Serena, will face Argentina on June 13.
The Paraguayans lost their way after the tournament in Argentina four years ago where they were beaten by Uruguay in the final after having reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in South Africa in 2010.
“We are starting to train, so we are already getting adapted to La Serena. Yesterday’s game [against Honduras] helped us without a doubt in many ways, so the coach is going to make conclusions – some positive, some negative and he already told us some of them today so during the week we will try to improve some things,” said goalkeeper and captain Justo Villar.
Ecuador, already in Santiago, will play Chile for the first match of the tournament on June 11 in the capital.
In a friendly match in Guayaquil on Saturday (June 6), Ecuador trounced Panama 4-0 with two goals from Fidel Martinez.
“Chile is the host, one of the favourites. We know the potential it has and we need to study it in order to counter it,” said Ecuador striker, Enner Valencia.
Chile captain and goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo arrived in Santiago on Sunday (June 7) to join his team following Barcelona’s Champions League triumph in Berlin on Saturday (June 6.)