July 01, (THEWILL) – Venezuela finished atop Group B in the 2024 Copa América with a commanding 3-0 victory over Jamaica in Austin, Texas. The win marked a historic moment for La Vinotinto, as they finished the group stage with a perfect record for the first time in their Copa América history.
Despite a slow start, Venezuela’s quality shone through in the second half. Eduard Bello broke the deadlock just four minutes after the restart, nodding home a cross from Jon Aramburu. Salomon Rondon doubled the lead in the 56th minute, capitalising on a clever assist from Yangel Herrera. Substitute Eric Ramirez added a third late on to complete the rout.
The match began with both sides seemingly content, as Venezuela had already qualified for the knockout stages and Jamaica were eliminated. However, Fernando Batista’s men were determined to finish top of the group. Their first-half dominance failed to translate into clear-cut chances, with Rondon’s off-target effort in the 38th minute the closest they came to scoring.
Jamaica offered little in attack, with Michail Antonio’s sporadic attempts their only notable offensive contributions. The first half ended goalless, with just one shot on target between the two teams. However, Venezuela’s persistence paid off after the break as they found their clinical edge.
The result sets up a quarter-final clash between Venezuela and Canada at AT&T Stadium on Friday. For La Vinotinto, this tournament represents a golden opportunity to build on their recent progress and make a deep run in the Copa América.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
