On June 27th at 9:00 AM, the second round of the 2024 Copa América will feature a crucial clash as Venezuela and Mexico face off at the Sofi Stadium. Both teams emerged victorious in their opening matches, making this a highly anticipated and potentially tense encounter.
Venezuela achieved a historic comeback in their first game, overcoming Ecuador 2-1. Meanwhile, Mexico secured a narrow 1-0 win against Jamaica in a closely contested match. Both teams are eager to continue their winning streaks.
Venezuela showcased their resilience in the first round, despite falling behind early. They managed to turn the tide with two goals within a ten-minute span in the second half, not only securing a victory but also achieving their first-ever comeback win in Copa América history. This victory ended their five-game winless streak and marked their first opening match victory since defeating Jamaica 1-0 in 2016.
Another win in this match would see Venezuela achieve back-to-back victories for the first time since 2016 and their first consecutive wins in an international tournament since last year.
While Saturday’s comeback was their first win from behind in Copa América, Venezuela has experience turning games around from a losing position in recent matches earlier this year. Additionally, they remain unbeaten and have not conceded a goal in their last four matches when they score first.
On the other side, Mexico may have faced some difficulties in their opening match, but ultimately secured the win thanks to a higher possession rate and efficient attack. It’s worth noting that if Michael Antonio’s goal had not been ruled offside, the match might have taken a different turn. This victory was crucial for Mexico as it ended their losing streak and extended their unbeaten record in the Copa América group stage to four matches. Moreover, they have remained undefeated in their first game of the last three Copa América tournaments.
Historically, Mexico tends to seal the deal when they score first, winning 12 out of 13 matches in which they found the back of the net. The only exception was a 2-3 loss to Colombia in December last year.
Mexico has the opportunity to achieve a remarkable feat in this tournament by keeping a clean sheet in consecutive group stage matches. The last time they accomplished this was in 2001.
In past encounters, Mexico has enjoyed a dominant record against Venezuela, remaining unbeaten in their last eight matches with five wins and three draws. Historically, the two teams have met three times in Copa América, with Mexico emerging victorious on two occasions.
In the Venezuela squad, Pachuca’s Salomón Rondón made his 18th Copa América appearance last weekend, tying the legendary José Manuel Rey for second place on the all-time list. He provided an assist and was named Man of the Match. Meanwhile, Famalicão prospect Johandry Cádiz and Mazatlán midfielder Eduardo Bello scored on their debuts, becoming the first Venezuelan players to score on their Copa América debuts since José Manuel Velasquez in 2016.
On the Mexican side, there was some unwelcome news as captain Edson Álvarez left the field with a hamstring injury, raising concerns about his availability for future matches. This is a significant blow for Mexico, especially considering the team’s ongoing search for stability under Lozano’s leadership. The game against Jamaica also exposed some vulnerabilities in the defense.
Overall, Venezuela enters this match with high spirits and a strong belief after their opening win. They will be looking to challenge Mexico’s defense and potentially pull off another surprise.
Expected starting lineups:
Venezuela: Romo; González, Ferraresi, Osorio, Navarro; Martínez, Herrera; Savarino, Caseres, Soteldo; Rondón
Mexico: González; Sánchez, Montes, Vázquez, Arteaga; Romo, Chávez; Vega, Pineda, Quiñones; Jiménez
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