Venezuela secures place in Copa America’s quarterfinals
Despite numerous opportunities, Mexico couldn’t capitalize in their match against “Los Vinotintos” de Venezuela on Wednesday night. The No. 44 ranked Venezuelan team outperformed the No. 15 ranked Mexican squad, securing a 1-0 victory in front of a predominantly Mexican crowd.
This was the second consecutive Copa América match at SoFi Stadium where the favored “home” team fell short. Earlier in the week, Brazil played to a 0-0 draw against Costa Rica. On Wednesday, Mexico was defeated by Venezuela in what felt like a home game, leaving their fans disappointed.
The pivotal moment came when Mexico’s Julián Quiñones committed a foul on Venezuela’s Jon Aramburu inside the box, leading to a penalty. Salomon Rondon, who plays for Pachuca in Liga MX, successfully converted the penalty, sealing the victory for Venezuela.
Mexico had previously started their tournament with a narrow 1-0 win over Jamaica but suffered a significant setback with the injury of their captain, Edson Álvarez. Meanwhile, Venezuela overcame Ecuador 2-1 in their opener, benefiting from a red card issued to Ecuador’s captain, Enner Valencia.
Venezuela’s victory on Wednesday places them at the top of Group B with six points, ensuring their advancement to the quarterfinals. Mexico must now defeat Ecuador on Sunday to secure second place and advance.
Summary:
Mexico was outplayed by Venezuela in a 1-0 loss on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium, where a penalty by Salomon Rondon made the difference. This was the second time a favored team failed to win at SoFi, following Brazil’s 0-0 draw with Costa Rica. Mexico, which narrowly beat Jamaica in their opener but lost captain Edson Álvarez to injury, now faces a must-win game against Ecuador on Sunday to advance. Venezuela’s win, following their earlier 2-1 victory over Ecuador, secures their place in the quarterfinals with six points.
