Venezuela made history and confirmed this Sunday (30) its place in the quarter-finals as leader of Group B with a 100% campaign by beating eliminated Jamaica 3-0, and will face Canada for a place in the semi-finals of the Copa América-2024.
With this, the Venezuelans avoided having to face Argentina in the quarterfinals, a mission that will fall to Ecuador, second place in the group after eliminating Mexico with a draw also this Sunday (0-0).
The goals that got the 20,000 spectators at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, almost full of ‘Vinotinto’ fans, going off were scored in the second half by Eduard Bello (48′), Salomón Rondón (56′) and Eric Ramírez (85′).
Venezuela was led by Leandro Cufré, assistant who replaced coach Fernando Batista, suspended by Conmebol.
“Finishing with a perfect score for the first time in history (…) We are happy, we enjoy the moment, but we have not yet achieved any objective, but we are following this path”, said Cufré after the game.
It is the first time that Venezuelans have reached the quarterfinals of the continental tournament with three victories.
“We have already played three games; there are three more to go,” Rondón told the Venezuelan television channel Televen, referring to the ambition of reaching an unprecedented final in the tournament’s history.
“It’s going to be much more complicated than in the group stage. We’re already thinking about Canada.”
‘Vinotinto’s best participation in a Copa América was recorded in Argentina-2011, when it reached the semi-finals and finished in fourth place.
“I’m happy with the good moment we’re experiencing as a team,” said the striker.
This Sunday, 34-year-old Salomón Rondón tied with the late striker José Luis Dolgetta as the Venezuelan team’s top scorer in the Copa América, scoring his sixth goal in his fifth appearance in the oldest national team competition in the world.
Venezuela will face Canada, second in Group A behind Argentina, on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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