Match 11 - Ecuador 3-1 Jamaica
Ecuador allowed Jamaica the majority of posession but, when they did have the ball, made full use of it. 27 touches in the opposition box resulted in 23 shots. Only three were on target, which will be of concern moving forward, but if the overall strategy works, there's less to worry about.
Jamaica will feel themselves unlucky. Ecuador's first goal deflected into the net from Kasey Palmer's shin. Their second was a penalty for handball that required a VAR check. In the second half Jamaica rallied and scored when Ecuador failed to clear a corner. With fifteen minutes to go the referee was asked to check the monitor on another potential handball in the box, he said no-dice and while Jamaica searched for an equaliser Ecuador broke up field and Minda scored his nations third.
Match 12 - Mexico 0-1 Venezuela
Venezuela looked like a team thirty places below their opponents, but also like a team that did not care to acknowledge such statistics. They soaked up Mexican pressure and withstood their possession inside the box, and the 18 shots which resulted. Then they took the lead with a penalty after a poor challenge by Quinones brought down Aramburu. A VAR review gave Mexico a penalty of their own for a Navarro handball, but Pineda saw his effort parried away by Romo.
The result guarantees Venezuela will be in the next round, andalso that Jamaica are out, before the two teams play in a few days time.
| Match Number | Teams | 1st Half Score | 2nd Half Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Ecuador v Jamaica | 2-0 | 1-1 | 3-1 |
| 12 | Mexico v Venezuela | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Total Matchday Goals | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| Total Tournament Goals | 8 | 14 | 22 |
Tomorrows two matches are:
| Team A | Team B | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Panama | USA | Atlanta, GA |
| Uruguay | Bolivia | East Rutherford, NJ |
text by stuartcturnbull art by CONMEBOL & altered by stuartcturnbull