Jhonder Cádiz and Eduard Bello, Fernando Batista’s two substitutes after the break, scored the decisive goals this Saturday for Venezuela’s comeback, which beat Ecuador 1-2 at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to start with good footing his way in the Copa América.
Ecuador played with ten men from the 22nd minute due to the direct red card to Enner Valencia, but had taken the lead thanks to the English Brighton player Jeremy Sarmiento. His enthusiasm lasted until half-time and his Copa América was going uphill.
At the restart, Cádiz, from the Portuguese Famalicao, and Bello, from the Mexican Mazatlán, replaced Darwin Machís and Cristian Cásseres and changed the history of the match with two goals in the space of ten minutes, between 64 and 74.
They gave three crucial points to Vinotinto to start group B in the best way, which also includes Mexico and Jamaica who will play in the second hour.
Everything happened in the first half for Vinotinto. Ecuador started better and almost took the lead with a shot from Kendry Páez, who started and became the youngest to play in the Copa América in the 21st century.
But in that same play Enner Valencia, La Tri’s offensive reference, ended up being sent off with a straight red for kicking José Martínez hard.
Venezuela took courage and continually looked into the rival area, but La Tri had the merit of knowing how to suffer. He endured the difficult moment and waited for his opportunities to go on the counterattack. And when the opportunity came, in the 40th minute, Sánchez’s team did not forgive.
In a set piece action, Jeremy Sarmiento collected a rebound in the area and beat goalkeeper Rafael Romo with his right foot to give Ecuador the lead.
Batista changes and gets it right
Batista needed to change and he did so at halftime by giving way to Eduard Bello and Jhonder Cádiz for Cásseres and Machís, respectively. And his decision had a reward.
Venezuela resumed command of the operations and took advantage of a failure in the ball’s exit by Ecuador to build the tie. After a quick throw-in, Rondón placed the ball for Cádiz, who scored to equalize 1-1.
Soteldo, even on an afternoon in which he did not have great brilliance, shook Ecuador’s defense and Venezuela’s push ended up breaking the Ecuadorian wall for the second time in ’74.
A header from Rondón was repelled by the hands of Alexander Domínguez, but on the rebound appeared Batista’s other substitution, Bello, who scored the 2-1 goal at will.
Vinotinto managed to defend its advantage solidly, achieving three very important points to fuel its ambition of reaching the quarterfinals in this Copa América.
Their next match will be against Mexico, while Ecuador will play a match without margin for error in Las Vegas against Jamaica.
Data sheet:
1. Ecuador: Domínguez; Preciado, Torres, Pacho, Hincapié; Caicedo, Franco (Jordy Caicedo, m.79), Sarmiento (Gruezo, m.60), Páez (Minda, m.79), Yeboah (Rodríguez, m.35); Enner.
2. Venezuela: Romo; González, Ferraresi, Osorio, Navarro; Herrera (Rincón, m.92), Martínez, Cásseres (Bello, m.46), Soteldo (Savarino, m.84), Machís (Cádiz, m.46); Rondon.
Goals: 1-0, m.38: Sarmiento; 1-1. m.64: Cádiz; 1-2, m.74: Beautiful.
Referee: Wilmar Roldán (Colombia). He showed yellow cardboard to Sarmiento (m.29) and Páez (m.45), from Ecuador, and to Machís (m.31), Cásseres (m.45), from Venezuela. He sent off Enner Valencia (m.22), from Ecuador, with a direct red card.
Incidents: Opening match of group B of the Copa América played at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara before nearly 30,000 spectators.
