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Victor Dias - June 8, 2024
Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela and Jamaica make up Group B. When we consider tournament favourites, teams like Mexico and Ecuador will not readily come to mind, however, they will go out there thinking what’s the worst that could go wrong? And most certainly give themselves a fighting chance.
We preview this group, consider the chances of each team and make our prediction.
Mexico’s warm-up towards the Copa America took a huge blow when they suffered a four-nil defeat at the hands of Uruguay, no thanks to a hat trick from Darwin Nunez.
They had earlier beaten Bolivia one nil at the start of their preparations but that defeat though not an indication of what could probably happen at the tournament, will now put things into perspective for manager, Lozano Espin Jaime Arturo. They have one more tune-up game against Brazil to block loopholes from the Uruguay game.
In 10 Copa America appearances, Mexico has twice finished as runners-up and finished third three times but recently, they have struggled to make their mark in the tournament. They are the most invited nation to the tournament and did not get invited for the 2019 and 2021 editions, but they made it to this year’s edition through the CONCACAF Nations League.
When the El Tri announced their provisional 31-man squad, there were shocking omissions with high-profile names missing. Players like Guillermo Ochoa and Raul Jimenez were left out of the team, with the coach attempting to change the face and shape of the squad with the 2026 World Cup in mind.
With several players who are aged 23 or younger in the team, there is the sense that the Mexican FA are willing to rebuild the team and wait for the results to come, but will fans understand that?
In the defeat to Uruguay, the fans were frustrated and promptly let the players know. West Ham’s Edson Alvarez was particularly below par, making two errors that led to goals for Uruguay.
Nevertheless, Mexico will need Edson Alvarez to shake off the preparation blues and provide leadership. They will also be counting on Feyenoord forward Santiago Tomas Gimenez who had 29 goals involvements in the just concluded season, scoring 23 goals and 6 assists to replicate that club form for the national team.
Prediction:
Going by the changes and transition going on with the team, it is hard to see Mexico contending for the Copa America title. Jamie Lozano has been handed a project to rebuild the squad, and while they would fancy their chances here, the goal would be to present a squad that can reasonably challenge at the World Cup, and they need fans to buy into the idea.
We reckon they will make it out of the group; however, it is left to be seen how far they can go, with the least expectation being to match their quarterfinal finish in 2016.
Two defeats and two draws in the last 10 matches for Ecuador make us red alert to them and their possibility of springing up a surprise. They have three friendlies scheduled against Argentina, Bolivia and Honduras in their preparations towards the Copa America.
Ecuador is one of two CONMEBOL members who have never won the continental title, and the highest they have finished is fourth place, in 1959 and 1993 per Wikipedia.
Since then, the furthest they have gone is the quarterfinals, with the most recent being in 2021 where they failed to win any game, lost just once and managed to make the knockout stages.
Coincidentally, they were also grouped with Venezuela where they played a 2-2 draw, with Eduar Garcia and Gonzalo Plata on the scoresheet. Ayrton Preciado led the team in scoring with two goals and Pervis Estupinian making the team of the tournament.
The La Tri will be missing Estupinian in the USA when this tournament gets underway. The Brighton Hove and Albion defender struggled with injury and fitness in the just-concluded season, barely making 19 appearances. His exclusion is understandable, and despite his absence, manager Félix Sanchez Bas has natural full-backs who can fit in.
An example is Piero Hincapie who is coming from being part of an incredible season with Bayer Leverkusen where they won the double and went unbeaten in the league.
The presence of Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo in the midfield also provides considerable balance for the team, and the ever-present Enner Valencia in what could probably be his final Copa America appearance will lead the attack and captain the team.
Prediction:
La Tri have seen pretty balanced of late, and we firmly expect them to continue in their current form having won four and drawn two of their last ten fixtures. We are picking them to make it out and possibly top this group ahead of Mexico, we also see them matching their quarterfinal finish from 2021. However, their chances of getting to the semis will depend on their opponents.
Venezuela are heading into their twentieth appearance at the Copa America. They have been a constant feature at the continental showpiece since 1967 but remain one of two nations alongside Ecuador who have never won the trophy.
Despite having a relatively poor record at the tournament, winning just eight of the 70 matches played, they have twice reached the quarterfinals, placing 6th and 7th.
La Vinotinto will be looking to rewrite their history at the Copa America, but manager Batista Fernando knows their chances are slim. That said, they have young players who are hungry and looking to grab the spotlight.
26-year-old Yangel Herrera who was an integral part of the Girona squad that secured Champions League football for next season will be a key feature to the Venezuelan team.
He captained the country’s U20 team to the 2017 U20 World Cup final, winning the bronze ball and has since been a mainstay in the senior men’s national team playing all six of his country’s CONMEBOL 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. His experience will come in handy for La Vinotinto.
Botafogo’s Jefferson Savarino will be no stranger to playing in the USA, having spent time in the MLS playing for Real Salt Lake in Utah. He is a pacy winger with a penchant for creating chances down the wings. Venezuela will also be counting on Salomon Rondo to get the goals, with over 40 goals in 100 appearances. In 21 games in the Liga MX playing for Pachuca last season, he scored 10 goals and 2 assists.
Prediction:
Batista Fernando took charge in 2023 and has won five games, drawn five and lost two, he will be saddled with the responsibility of adding to the win column to improve Venezuela’s record at the Copa America but that already looks like a huge task with the other teams present in this group. We are not confident of La Vinotinto progressing from this group.
A hard-fought win over Canada in the quarterfinal of the CONCACAF Nations League ensured Jamaica booked their place in this edition of the Copa America. Shamar Nicholson had three goals over two legs to push the team to the semis.
This is their third appearance at the continental showpiece and they go into this tournament seeking their first-ever win. In their first appearance at the Copa America in 2015, the Reggae Boyz finished bottom of the group, losing all three games played. The same situation played out at the Copa America Centenario in 2021, also hosted by USA. They lost two nil to Mexico and narrowly lost one nil to Venezuela in that tournament.
They will hope to have a different outcome this year though, with the presence of high-profile players in the team. It is not clear how much dependence Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson will have on experienced premier league stars Ethan Pinnock, Michail Antonio and Leon Bailey, but he will surely be counting on Fulham’s Bobby De Cordrova Reid who is a key member of Fulham’s team in the just concluded season.
Up front, Shamar Nicholson who has scored 16 goals from 44 appearances for Jamaica will prove key in getting the goals.
Prediction:
The odds are stacked against Jamaica in the group and indeed in the tournament. They play against Mexico in their first game which already presents a tough start. We are predicting a group stage finish for the Reggae Boyz, however, they could secure their first win of the Copa America
El Tri enters the tournament as the heavy favorite, boasting a squad brimming with experience and established talent. Players like Hirving Lozano and Raúl Jiménez remain offensive threats, while veterans like Héctor Herrera and Andrés Guardado provide leadership in midfield.
Don’t underestimate Ecuador. They possess a young and exciting squad under the guidance of experienced manager Gustavo Alfaro. Players like Moisés Caicedo, Gonzalo Plata, and Pervis Estupiñán offer a blend of technical ability and youthful exuberance.
La Vinotinto, despite being underdogs, shouldn’t be written off entirely. They have shown recent improvements under manager Leonardo González, with a strong defensive foundation and a growing offensive threat.
The Reggae Boyz from Jamaica enter the Copa America as a potential dark horse. Boasting a squad with several players featuring in the Premier League, they possess individual quality and a physical playing style.
