Brazil faces tough route to trophy

If Brazil wants to win its fifth Copa America in seven editions, it will have to do it the hard way.

The South American super power decided on Monday not to appeal a four-game ban handed to star striker and captain Neymar for violent conduct, meaning it will have to do without him for the knockout stages.

What's more, it is in a loaded draw that conspiracy theorists might be tempted to suggest have been designed to help host Chile reach the final.

Argentina, Colombia and Brazil, the teams ranked third to fifth in the FIFA world rankings are all in the same side of the draw, while on the other side you find the likes of 61st ranked Peru up against 89th placed Bolivia.

In fairness, Chile (19th) is actually drawn in its quarterfinal against the highest ranked team in its half, Uruguay, the defending champion ranked eighth by FIFA.

And it is Argentina and Colombia who have been hardest hit, as the two highest ranked sides face each other in the last eight.

The victor in that clash of the titans will expect to find Brazil in the semis as the Selecao are up against Paraguay.

Paraguay may have reached the final four years ago, just a year after making it to the World Cup quarterfinals, but it has been in freefall since, failing to reach last year's World Cup and dropping to 85th in the world.

Ranked 15th after its 2010 World Cup exploits, Paraguay won only four out of 19 international matches from the beginning of 2013 until this tournament started.

Even without Neymar, Brazil will expect to advance and the team is eager to exact revenge having lost to Paraguay on penalties at this stage four years ago.

"It's going to be a tough match," said centerback Thiago Silva after Sunday's final group game.

"Any team here is hard. Paraguay got to the last Copa America final and got there on merit, beating us.

"Beating them on Saturday will have special meaning for us."

Paraguay is liable to provide stubborn resistance having already held Argentina and Uruguay to draws in the pool phase, while beating Jamaica - albeit thanks to a comedic error by Duwayne Kerr, the Caribbeans' goalkeeper .

The quarterfinals begin on Wednesday with host Chile tackling Uruguay, whose form has been a bit patchy here.

Chile faces perhaps its best chance to win this tournament - in which it has four times been beaten finalist, most recently in 1987 - not only playing at home but also blessed with a golden generation that beat Spain at the World Cup last year.

Boasting Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and Juventus midfield lynchpin Arturo Vidal among a talented outfit, Chile plays with pace and verve and thrashed Bolivia 5-0 in its final group game.

It certainly won't be overawed by a side missing star striker Luis Sanchez, still serving a ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

Edinson Cavani has yet to get off the mark for the shot-shy Uruguayans who mustered just two goals in three pool games.

On Thursday, the two outsiders Bolivia and Peru, both former winners of the competition, meet in Temuco while on Friday, Vina del Mar will be the setting for the heavyweight Argentina-Colombia clash.

Argentina has not exactly shone so far, but with an attacking arsenal comprised of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel di Maria, Javier Pastore, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain, it will surely be expecting to end its 22-year wait to lift the Copa America.