Jun 22, 2024, 9:21 p.m. ET
If there was a play that defined the match in which Ecuador fell 2-1 to Venezuela at the beginning of the Copa América, is the expulsion suffered by Enner Valencia. Playing 70 minutes with 10 players against a growing team took its toll on La Tri
The red card in the 21st minute left out the script that had been rehearsed in the previous. It took Ecuador 10 minutes to react and implement a new strategy on the fly; Jeremy Sarmiento himself even received a yellow card before scoring the goal that opened the scoring.
In the second half, Sánchez Bas’s strategy was to defend the 1-0 lead, but the intention remained on paper. Coach Fernando Batista took advantage of the numerical superiority by adding one more forward, in an area where a mistake can become and Ecuador committed two, which were well taken advantage of by the rival.
The two coaches, Sánchez Bas and Fernando Batista, anticipated that the match was a final, and playing a key match defensively will never bring them closer to a victory.
Vinotinto’s numerical superiority was felt in all areas of the field. On the wings, where Ecuador had a strength, but which it gave up because it sent its players to defend and not attack.
And in the final 10 minutes, The inclusion of Jordy Caicedo and Alan Minda only showed a team without order and desperate not to lose.
The 2-1 determines Ecuador’s desire to remain in the Copa América, the tournament with which the Tricolor does not get along, because it has more defeats than victories.
