In a dramatic opening match of the Copa América on June 23rd, Venezuela defeated Ecuador 2-1, launching their campaign in the tournament.
The first half saw a turning point when Ecuador’s Valencia was sent off with a straight red card for a severe foul, leaving his team at a numerical disadvantage. Undeterred, Ecuador’s Zambrano scored first, taking the lead. However, the second half witnessed a change in fortunes as two Venezuelan substitutes, Caicedo and Bello, each found the back of the net, orchestrating an impressive comeback.
Significantly, this marks the first time in Venezuela’s football history that two substitute players have scored in the same Copa América match. Additionally, it is Venezuela’s maiden successful comeback in their 108-year history in the competition.
For Ecuador, the defeat is a significant blow, as it is the first time since 2007 that they have failed to hold onto a lead after scoring first. More ominously, since the Copa América format changed to four teams per group, Ecuador has been eliminated every time they lost their opening match – a streak that has now repeated seven times, raising doubts about their chances this year.
On the other hand, Venezuela’s victory sets a positive tone for their qualification prospects. Statistics show that of the 45 teams that have won their opening match since the four-team group format was adopted, only two have failed to advance, with the most recent example being Panama in 2016. Thus, historical data suggests that Venezuela is well-positioned to carry their winning start into the knockout stages.