Mexico ties Venezuela and sits atop Group C
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 previous opportunities to score when he took on five defenders before firing off a shot from 10 yards to tie it and thrill the overwhelmingly pro-Mexico crowd at Houston.
By winning its group, El Tri avoids a quarterfinal matchup with Lionel Messi and tournament favorite Argentina. Mexico is 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 a 22-game unbeaten streak, its longest ever, and has nine wins and a draw since Juan Carlos Osorio took over for interim coach Ricardo Ferretti last fall. The team has scored 16 goals and allowed just two since Osorio took over.
Uruguay 3, Jamaica 0: Uruguay signed off from the Copa America Centenario with a win over Jamaica despite Edinson Cavani’s continued woes in front of the goal.
Abel Hernandez, starting up front as Luis Suarez was again left on the bench, gave Uruguay a halftime lead at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
In the second period, Je-Vaughn Watson’s unlucky own goal and Mathias Carujo’s first international strike made it 3-0.
Jamaica keeper Andre Blake made an early save on Hernandez, with the resulting corner headed wide by Cavani.
Blake cleared a ball straight to Cavani but the striker took too long over the chance and saw his shot saved.