GROUP B

Schedule: Brazil (6/4 Pasadena, CA), Peru (6/8 Glendale, AZ), and Haiti (6/12 East Rutherford, NJ)

Head Coach: Gustavo Quinteros

Best Finish in Copa America: Fourth place

Players to Keep an Eye on: DEF Juan Carlos Paredes (Watford), DEF Walter Ayovi (Monterrey), MID Antonio Valencia (Manchester United), MID Jefferson Montero (Swansea City), and FWD Enner Valencia (West Ham United)

Outlook:

The Ecuadorian national team looks to inject another milestone in an already historic tournament this summer.

La Tricolor have never won a Copa America, joining Venezuela as the only two South American countries to have never lifted the trophy of the continental tournament. The 100 year anniversary edition, or Centenario, being held in the United States from June 3-26th this year presents Ecuador with its 27th participation in the competition.

The best finish Ecuador has ever had in the tournament both came when it hosted it, coming in fourth place in both 1959 and 1993. In the latest edition, which took place last summer in Chile, La Tricolor was knocked out in the group stages, finishing third behind the hosts, who went on to win the tournament for the first time, and Bolivia.

Standing in its way in the 2016 edition is fellow Group B members Brazil — a side that has won the tournament eight times, the third most all-time behind Uruguay and Argentina — Peru, which finished in third in last season’s edition, and first time participants Haiti.

Ecuador opens its campaign on June 4 against Brazil at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The fourth match of the competition takes place 346 miles south of Levi Stadium, where the United States and Colombia will kick-off the tournament 24 hours prior.

Four days later, the Tricolor will face Peru at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in another 10 p.m. kick-off to close out the fifth day of the tournament.

The rivalry, which was at its highest intensity between the late 19th century and 1998, when both countries were fighting for land in the region, has historically been dominated by the Peruvians in Copa America. In 11 meetings between the sides at the tournament, Peru came away with eight wins and lost just once, with both sides playing to a draw twice, with Peru outscoring the Ecuadorians 26-10 in the span.

Its final match of the group stage takes place across the country at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The potentially decisive match pits Ecuador against CONCACAF member Haiti, the only opponent La Tri enters its matchup with as a favorite.

Ecuador enters the tournament having lost its last two games against the teams opening the tournament, dropping a 3-1 contest to Colombia in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match before losing 1-0 against the US in a friendly. It opened 2016 with a 2-2 tie against Paraguay in a WC qualifier as well.

Prior to its slow start to the new year, Ecuador finished 2015 with six consecutive wins, including the first four matches in World Cup qualifying against Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Venezuela by a combined score of 9-2.

It looks to return to that form with a 23-man roster headlined by the two Valencias playing in the English Premier League — Enner, a forward for West Ham, and Antonio, a right-back for Manchester United.

Other notable members of the roster are Christian Noboa — a midfielder who made 24 appearances for Rostov in a season where the small club reached a historic second place in the Russian Premier League, fighting for the title with CSKA Moscow until the final matchday — and Jefferson Montero of Swansea City.

The biggest name missing from the final roster is Felipe Caicedo. The striker scored 10 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions for Espanyol in Spain, but was excluded from the final roster for the second straight Copa America.

While history may not be on its side, Ecuador has no reason to aspire for anything but a first ever Copa America title. As the United States ushers in a second century of the international South American tournament, La Tricolor could write in another name in the historic group of its winners.