CHICAGO — Jose Pekerman has an opportunity. It's an opportunity that may have come as a surprise, but here his team is in the semifinal of the Copa America Centenario

The Colombia manager has garnered plenty of individual awards in his time as a senior team coach. He’s well respected in a community of soccer full of men and women who think about the game not as a hobby or even a passion, but as a way of life.

In three consecutive years, the 66-year-old was voted the South American Coach of the Year and in 2013 he finished fifth in the overall voting for the IFFHS' best manager in the world. His opposite number in Wednesday's semifinal, Juan Antonio PIzzi, says it isn't about whether or not people think Pekerman is a good coach, the facts say that he is.

"It’s not that it seems to me that Pekerman is a good manager, but he’s concretely an excellent manager," Pizzi said. "He’s a wise man when it comes to reading situations. He’s showed in his management of young players, in his management of senior players, in various countries, in this case in Argentina and Colombia, and I’m very certain that he’s an excellent manager."

But while the individual awards have come, it’s been more difficult for Pekerman to achieve team titles. Colombia’s run to the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals was impressive, and the manager himself considered it ““one of the biggest joys in my life, and the others are my daughters."

A title, though, has not come. Pekerman was prolific with the Argentina U-20 team, taking the youth squad to U-20 World Cup titles in 1995, 1997 and 2001 and leading the team to South American Youth Championships in 1997 and 1999. But with Colombia, and in an earlier stint with Argentina's senior team, Pekerman has been unable to lift a trophy.

Now he sits just two matches from doing just that. While the Copa America Centenario falls outside the typical cycle and may be dismissed by some critics, especially in South America, as inauthentic, it's clear that winning the prize would mean plenty to Pekerman and Colombia. 

"We’re very happy seeing the expectations, a Copa with this tradition, a unique event with this 100 years of CONMEBOL, the oldest competition in the world," he said Tuesday. "Competing at this level with great teams, great players gives us a very important satisfaction."

Pekerman is not a young man, and while Colombia has many rising stars, a title isn't likely to come at the 2018 World Cup. The 2019 Copa America seems a long way off. But here Los Cafeteros are in the semifinal of this specially created tournament.

Not only has Colombia had a relatively easy ride, coming out of Group A, then outlasting Peru in the quarterfinal with a penalty shootout win, it also caught a break ahead of Wednesday's contest. Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal is suspended, while Marcelo Diaz is an injury worry. Francisco Silva has experience, but the potential drop in quality in the center of the pitch gives Colombia a boost. James Rodriguez should have more room to operate and create, while Edwin Cardona, Juan Cuadrado and Carlos Bacca look to move off of him and find scoring chances. At the back, Colombia is improved from previous versions with Serie A defenders Cristian Zapata and Jeison Murillo forming a stern center-back partnership.

After its 7-0 demolition of Mexico in the quarterfinal, Chile may enter as the favorite, though Pekerman said he's "never been one to pick a favorite." But Colombia has to like its chances to get to the final and give its tactician a chance to draw up the perfect game plan to top tournament favorite Argentina. 

Pekerman can cement his legacy as one of the game's great minds if he's able to claim this piece of silverware. If not, it will be another successful tournament for him but one he ultimately leaves empty-handed, just as he's done before.