AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Already qualified for the quarterfinals, Venezuela has no intention of slowing down at the Copa America.
La Vinotinto will go out on Sunday night determined to have no mercy on the eliminated Jamaica and secure first place in Group B.
Doing so is convenient for coach Fernando Batista’s team, as it would avoid a possible crossing with Argentina, the reigning continental and world champion. The Albiceleste faced Peru on Saturday with the aim of finishing first in Group A.
Venezuela upset the predictions with a perfect start to its tour of the United States, first winning 2-1 against Ecuador and then 1-0 against Mexico.
“We are a pretty annoying team,” boasted Salomón Rondón, Venezuela’s historic scorer, author of the penalty goal to beat Mexico and manager of the two goals against Ecuador.
Batista is within reach of achieving something unprecedented for Venezuela in the group stage of the Copa América: a full victory in the first round.
“We have to play every game like a final,” Batista said after the victory over Venezuela. “We can’t relax at all and we will go to play against Jamaica as if it were another final. They know that I like to play at 100 percent. We will not relax at all.”
Faced with an eliminated opponent, Batista will have a laboratory to fine-tune his performance and aimed at two aspects: generating more play and not losing the ball too quickly.
Jamaica wants to say goodbye with honor after suffering defeats against Mexico (1-0) and Ecuador (3-1).
The goal against the Ecuadorians, the work of Michail Antonio, was the first that the Reggae Boyz scored in three participations in the oldest national team tournament in the world.
A consolation prize for the team led by Icelandic coach Heimir Hallgrímsson would be to avoid another three-defeat Copa América.
The duel will be at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, one of the venues with the smallest capacity in the tournament, for 20,700 spectators.
