Miguel Almiron left gutted | OneFootball

Miguel Almiron and his international teammates kicked off their Copa America campaign on Monday.

They are in a very tough group (top two of four go through to the knockout stages, the last eight) and it was an 11 pm kick-off UK time for the game in Houston.

Up against Colombia, one of the favourites to win the tournament, Paraguay made a very good start to the match and Enciso came close to opening the scoring, however, a cross to the back post on 32 minutes saw Daniel Munoz head home unmarked.

That weakness in the air was further underlined 10 minutes later when from a corner Jefferson Lerma headed Colombia into a two-goal lead.

Paraguay had won just three of their last 14 matches and only scored two goals in their most recent nine internationals, so many people may have expected Miguel Almiron and his teammates to fold. With Colombia unbeaten in 23 and having won their last eight matches.

However, they ended up very unlucky not to get something from the game, Julio Enciso halving the deficit on 69 minutes, but Paraguay was unable to get the equaliser they deserved.

The final stats showed that Paraguay had more overall shots (12 v 11), the same number on target (3 v 3) and the same number of corners (3-3). Only when it came to putting the ball in the net, did Colombia edge it.

Miguel Amiron played the first 59 minutes until subbed as part of a double change.

Now it is on to Las Vegas, for a massive match, where Miguel Almiron and Paraguay take on Brazil, a possible match-up against Bruno Guimaraes. That match is a 2 am UK time kick-off on Saturday 29 June.

Then the third and final group match is against Costa Rica in Austin, a UK kick-off time of 2 am again on Wednesday 3 July.

Newcastle United players on international duty:

Saturday 15 June

Switzerland 3 Hungary 1 (Euros Group match)

The Newcastle United defender with a very good personal performance, playing the full 90 minutes as the Swiss deservedly beat Hungary.

Sunday 16 June

England 1 Serbia 0 (Euros Group match)

England got the job done, eventually.

Anthony Gordon an unused substitute but Kieran Trippier playing the full 90 minutes and doing ok at left-back. His job was to stretch things in attack up England’s left-hand side, with the likes of Foden not willing/able to stay out wide and instead continually drifting inside. With the plan clearly for all of England’s main attacking to be through the middle and especially out wide on the right.

That is where the excellent winning goal came from, a great ball from Walker putting Saka in behind and his deflected cross perfectly then flighted for Bellingham’s pinpoint run into the box and the header giving Serbia’s keeper no chance.

At the other end was Trippier’s main task though and with the rest of the defence he did well, especially after the break when England suddenly went all defensive and invited Serbia to go for the equaliser. The Three Lions offered zero threat in the second half apart from sub Bowen’s cross where the keeper made a great save but in reality, Kane should have given him zero chance with the header.

Pickford only had one shot on target to save all game and whilst the commentator and pundits raved about it, in reality, it was from outside the box and straight at him, the England keeper tipping the ball over the bar.

The highlight of Trippier’s performance was when Serbia got into the box on the left and an equaliser beckoned for Serbia with Mitrovic waiting for the ball to be squared for a tap-in. However, the Newcastle defender covering his central defenders had got across and was too strong for Mitro who was sent sprawling and claiming for a forlorn penalty.

Monday 17 June

Slovakia 1 Belgium 0 (Euros Group match)

Martin Dubravka and his Slovakia teammates pulled off a massive shock, third-ranked in the world Belgium beaten by a team ranked 48th.

Schranz scored after only seven minutes and the Newcastle keeper and his international teammates more than matching Belgium. What a victory.

Wednesday 19 June

Switzerland 1 Scotland 1 (Euros Group match)

Fabian Schar and Switzerland with a nightmare start after 13 minutes, the Newcastle defender deflecting a McTominay shot past his keeper, a shot which would almost for sure have been saved without Schar’s intervention.

The NUFC defender recovering to have another decent game. Helping Switzerland stand up to a very physical but limited Scotland team, Shaqiri with a brilliant 26th minute long range curled into the top corner effort to equalise. The Swiss should have went on to win but wasted a fair few chances and Scotland got lucky with two goals denied by VAR fine margins.

Thursday 20 June 2024

England 1 Denmark 1 (Euros Group match)

Yet another Gareth Southgate masterclass of cluelessness and negativity.

The team playing so deep and defensive, clearly the plan to try and stop Denmark scoring and not a plan of how England would score.

On 18 minutes some individual opportunism and ambition by Kyle Walker as he ignored Southgate’s orders and pressed high, won the ball in a dangerous position and Kane scoring from close in, he couldn’t miss.

Southgate’s reaction was to have England even more negative and defensive, invited Denmark on and they equalised 16 minutes later. The whole game a shambles with the negative tactics and no apparent plan as to how England were trying to win the game. Very lucky to get a draw.

Kieran Trippier played well on the left and didn’t put a foot wrong.

Friday 21 June 2024

Slovakia 1 Ukraine 2 (Euros Group match)

Martin Dubravka and Slovakia looking to be cruising through to the last 16 when dominating the first half and leading 1-0. However, Ukraine came out for the second half all fired up and turned it around, equalising on 54 minutes and then a shocker with 10 minutes to go from Martin Dubravka, when a ball was played over the top that he should have dealt with, allowing the striker to score from a narrow angle and he should have stopped it for sure.

Sunday 23 June 2024

Switzerland 1 Germany 1 (Euros Group match)

A man of the match performance from Fabian Schar helped Switzerland get the point they needed to guarantee progress to the last 16.

However, a brave and dangerous Swiss side deserved the win, as Germany created next to no clear chances. Switzerland scoring a great team goal on 28 minutes and then defending brilliantly but at the same time looking more dangerous on the break than the hosts.

The win they deserved was denied in the second minute of added time due to a quality header from sub Fullkrug. A moral victory for Fabian Schar and his teammates and a performance that will give them massive confidence and momentum for their last 16 tie on Saturday.

Monday 24 June 2024

Colombia 2 Paraguay 1 (Copa America Group match)

Miguel Almiron and Paraguay very unlucky against one of the favourites to win the tournament.

Paraguay going two down by the break due to poorly defended headed goals, then pulling one back in the second half but unable to get the equaliser they deserved.

The final stats showed that Paraguay had more overall shots (12 v 11), the same number on target (3 v 3) and the same number of corners (3-3). Only when it came to putting the ball in the net, did Colombia edge it.

Tuesday 25 June 2024

England v Slovenia (Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier) Euros Group match 8pm ITV1

Wednesday 26 June 2024

Slovakia v Romania (Martin Dubravka) Euros Group match 5pm BBC TBC

Friday 28 June 2024

Paraguay v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron) Copa America Group match

Tuesday 2 July 2024

Colombia v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes) Copa America Group match

(There will of course be more matches for Newcastle United players if their nations get through the group stages of the Copa America and/or the European Championships.)