Venezuela is set to face Jamaica in their final Copa America group stage match on Sunday, but the team will be without head coach Fernando Batista. Batista has been handed a one-match suspension by CONMEBOL, the South American football’s governing body, after Venezuela’s late arrival to the field of play in their 1-0 victory over Mexico. This is not an isolated incident, as Chile coach Ricardo Gareca and Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni have also faced sanctions from CONMEBOL for similar offenses.
Despite the absence of their coach, Venezuela enters the match against Jamaica as the leader of Group B with six points. Having secured their place in the last eight, Venezuela has the opportunity to progress as group winners, which could potentially see them avoid a clash with defending champions Argentina in the next round.
Venezuela will be looking to continue their strong form, aiming to finish their group stage campaign on a high note. The team will be hoping to maintain their momentum going into the knockout stages, where they will face a tough challenge against one of the remaining teams. With their qualification for the next round already secured, Venezuela can approach the game against Jamaica with a sense of freedom and focus on securing a positive result.
