The Argentine National Team closed its participation in Group A of the 2024 Copa América with another victory against Peru, securing first place with Lautaro Martínez’s double after having already guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals after the first two dates. Thus, the Albiceleste was waiting to find out who would be the second in Group B, which was defined in this Sunday’s matches: next Thursday the Scaloneta will face Ecuador.
Certainly, Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela all had a chance of occupying that position on Sunday. It was known that the Vinotinto would hardly lose its first-place status in the zone because to do so it would have to lose to weak Jamaica and there would be a winner between the Ecuadorians and Mexicans by a difference that would exceed the Venezuelan team in points. Indeed, Fernando Batista’s team thrashed the Central Americans 3-0 with three goals scored in the second half and there was no discussion: they went to the quarterfinals with a perfect score.
That’s why all eyes were on the final between Ecuador and Mexico, the two teams that arrived with three points but a +1 goal difference in favor of Félix Sánchez’s team, allowing them to qualify with a draw. After a lackluster first half, Jaime Lozano’s team destroyed El Tri’s team in the second half but came up against their own inefficiency and goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez. To add to the drama, the referee awarded a penalty to Mexico at the end, but then the VAR reviewed the action and reversed its decision.
Ecuador held on like this and got a ticket; Their match on Thursday with Argentina will be revenge for the friendly prior to the continental competition that ended with an Argentine victory 1-0.
2024-07-01 03:08:17
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