Copa America draw, schedule: Lionel Messi’s Argentina drawn with Chile; Brazil get easy route

Lionel Messi and Argentina were given a chance for revenge on Sunday after being drawn against reigning Copa America champions Chile in the group stage for this summer's special centenary edition of the tournament.

Argentina suffered an agonising defeat to Chile in the climax of last June’s tournament in Santiago as their major championship drought continued.

However, Messi and his teammates have the opportunity to strike back at Chile after being drawn alongside their South American rivals in Group D here Sunday.

The Copa America Centenario is taking place outside South America for the first time this year to mark 100 years of the world’s oldest international football tournament.

Ten cities across the United States will host games from June 3-26 in the 16-team tournament, which features 10 sides from South America and six from the Concacaf region.

Argentina’s clash with Chile was the standout fixture from Sunday’s draw at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. Panama and Bolivia complete Group D.

Host United States will kick off the tournament against Colombia in the opening match on June 3 at Super Bowl venue Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

The match may carry a good omen for the United States, who beat Colombia in the 1994 World Cup group stages, a game made infamous by the own goal from Colombian defender Andres Escobar, who was later murdered in his homeland in an apparent reprisal.

The Americans’ Group A is full of demanding challenges, with 2014 World Cup quarter-finalists Colombia and Costa Rica as well as 2015 Copa America semi-finalists Paraguay.

“It’s a very difficult group, but it’s doable, and this is what a Copa America is about,” US coach Jurgen Klinsmann told Univision television.

“You want to measure yourself with the best teams from South America and also our region. So we can’t wait to get it started.”

Five-time world champions Brazil, however, were given what looked like a straightforward passage into the knockout rounds, with Ecuador, Haiti and Peru forming their opposition in Group B.

Brazil will open their campaign against Ecuador at the Pasadena Rose Bowl – scene of their 1994 World Cup final triumph – on June 4.

Reigning Concacaf Gold Cup champions Mexico and Luis Suarez’s Uruguay will be favoured to proceed to the last eight from Group C ahead of Jamaica and Venezuela.

Organisers of the Copa America Centenario are banking on a star-studded tournament featuring the world's best players led by Messi and his Barcelona teammates Neymar of Brazil and Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez.

However, Argentina’s opening game against Chile at Santa Clara on June 6 takes place just three days after Messi’s trial for tax fraud in Spain is due to be completed.

Brazil star Neymar, meanwhile, faces a potentially gruelling summer with the Copa America in June followed by the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Although Neymar has reportedly indicated a desire to play in both tournaments, it remains to be seen whether Barcelona will agree to release their star for back-to-back events.

The tournament is taking place against the backdrop of a year of tumult for football in South America and the Concacaf region, which groups Central America, North America and the Caribbean.

Several high-ranking officials from South America’s governing body Conmebol and Concacaf have been indicted in the US-led corruption investigation that ultimately led to the downfall of global football chief Sepp Blatter.

According to US investigators, business deals surrounding the Copa America Centenario had served to generate millions of dollars in bribes for officials implicated in the corruption scandal.

The swirl of sleaze surrounding the tournament’s inception had left it in doubt before officials finally confirmed it would go ahead as scheduled.

Full draw

Group A: United States (hosts); Colombia; Costa Rica; Paraguay

Group B: Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru

Group C: Mexico, Uruguay, Jamaica, Venezuela

Group D: Argentina, Chile, Panama, Bolivia

Knockout stages

Group A 1 v Group B 2, June 16, Seattle

Group D 1 v Group C 2, June 18, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Group B 1 v Group A 2, June 17, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Group C 1 v Group D 2, June 18, Santa Clara, California

Semi-finals

A1 or B2 v D1 or C2, June 21, Houston

B1 or A2 v C1 or D2, June 22, Chicago

Final

June 26, East Rutherford, New Jersey

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Recycle Reuse Repurpose

New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors

Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site

Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area

Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.

About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor

Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:

Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled

Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays

Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters

Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill

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• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

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