Mexico entered the Copa America aiming to bounce back from disappointing performances in the World Cup and CONCACAF Nations League. However, they are now at risk of an early exit.
Salomón Rondón scored from a penalty kick in the 57th minute, sending Venezuela through to the Copa America quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over Mexico on Wednesday night.
Venezuela, who started with a 2-1 victory over Ecuador, is guaranteed a top-two finish in Group B. They will face Jamaica, who are already out, on Sunday in Austin, Texas.
“I’m happy that we could bring some joy to the people of Venezuela; that’s what we played for. But we need to stay calm and keep our feet on the ground,” said Venezuela coach Fernando Batista. “We’ll enjoy this tonight, but tomorrow we’ll focus on Jamaica.”
Mexico began their campaign with a 1-0 win against Jamaica and now have three points, tied with Ecuador, who defeated Jamaica 3-1 earlier on Wednesday. Mexico will play Ecuador in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday and must win to progress.
“It’s a learning process, but I’m proud of the team because they never gave up. Now it’s up to us, and we just talked about it in the locker room,” said Mexico coach Jaime Lozano.
“The next game will determine our place in the next round. We’re hurting right now, but if we keep playing like this, it’ll be tough for us to lose another game.”
Mexico’s early exit in the 2022 World Cup marked their first group-stage elimination since 1978. They lost to the U.S. in the CONCACAF Nations League final in March and have not defeated their rivals since 2019.
Venezuela ended a 13-game winless streak against Mexico.
“Things didn’t go as planned tonight, but we still have 90 minutes, and no one is jumping ship. We’ll get through this,” Lozano added. “We have to take the positives and move forward. There are only a few days left, and we’re eager to get back on the field. When things are tough, that’s when we perform at our best.”
