Jesus Manuel “Tecatito” Corona’s goal in the 80th minute gave Mexico a 1-1 tie against Venezuela on Monday night and first place in Group C of the Copa America.
Corona had missed several opportunities to score before he took on five defenders before firing off a shot from 10 yards to tie it and thrill the overwhelmingly pro-Mexico crowd.
By winning their group, El Tri avoids a quarterfinal matchup with lionel Messi and tournament favorite Argentina. They’re likely headed for an easier matchup with Chile in the knockout round, leaving Venezuela to face mighty Argentina. Venezuela surprised Mexico with an early goal. The Vinotinto used a free kick to get it in the box, and Jose Manuel Velazquez gave Venezuela the lead in the 10th minute after taking an assist on a header from Christian Santos and volleying it in for the goal.
Venezuela had a chance to take the lead in the 84th minute, but goalkeeper Jose de Jesus Corona saved a bicycle kick shot by Josef Martinez.
Mexico has won 11 in a row and has a 22-game unbeaten streak, which is its longest unbeaten streak ever. Mexico is 9-1-0 since Juan Carlos Osorio took over for interim coach Ricardo Ferretti last fall. The team has scored 16 goals and allowed just two since he took over.
Mexico had a chance to tie it in the 49th minute, but Oribe Peralta could not get a foot on the ball from 5 yards off a short pass from Hirving lozano. Another opportunity came in the 56th minute when Tecatito took a shot from 20 yards, but it sailed wide off the far post.
Messi expected to play VS Bolivia
Seattle: Even with little at stake, the expectation is lionel Messi will play in Argentina’s final group game.
But Argentina manager Gerardo Martino was coy on Monday as to whether Messi will be on the field from the start, or if it’ll be another supporting performance off the bench from the star forward who has been dealing with a back injury.
Argentina is already assured of a place in the quarterfinals of the tournament and is likely to be the top of Group D baring the highly unlikely scenario of a Bolivia win and a barrage of goals scored by Chile against Panama.
Uruguay BEAT JAMAICA 3-0
Santa Clara: Abel Hernandez scored in the first half, Mathias Corujo added a late breakaway goal and Uruguay beat Jamaica 3-0 to snap a five-game Copa America winless streak. Uruguay took its first lead of the 2016 tournament in the 21st minute. Uruguay went ahead 2-0 in the 66th minute on Je-Vaughn Watson’s own goal.
In the 88th, Corujo raced to win a glancing header of a long goal kick and he beat Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake in a one-on-one battle.