Venezuela continues to make history in the Copa América, securing a 3-0 victory over Jamaica and finishing as the leader of Group B. The 'Vinotinto,' already through to the next phase after beating Ecuador (2-1) and Mexico (1-0), completed the group stage with a perfect record.
The match at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, remained goalless until the second half. In the 49th minute, Eduard Bello headed in a cross from Jon Aramburu to break the deadlock. Just seven minutes later, Salomón Rondón received a pass from Yangel Herrera, battled through the Jamaican defense, and scored while falling to make it 2-0. With this goal, Rondón tied José Luis Dolgetta as Venezuela's top scorer in Copa América history with six goals.
Fernando Batista's squad, temporarily managed by Leandro Cufré due to Batista's suspension, sealed the victory in the 85th minute. Eric Ramírez scored after an assist from Kervin Andrade, putting the final score at 3-0.
As group leaders, a first in their history, Venezuela will face the second-place team from Group A, Canada, on Friday, July 5, in Arlington, Texas. However, they will be without Darwin Machís, who is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards.
If Venezuela advances, they will meet the winner of the Argentina vs. Ecuador match in the semifinals. Argentina drew with Mexico to secure their spot, setting up a tight knockout stage clash.
This edition of the Copa América marks a historic achievement for Venezuela, winning three group stage matches for the first time. The 'Vinotinto' scored six goals in the tournament (2 against Ecuador, 1 against Mexico, and 3 against Jamaica), just one shy of their record of seven goals in the 2011 and 1967 editions.
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