Venezuela pulled off a stunning comeback in their Copa America Group B opener, defeating Ecuador 2-1 at Levi’s Stadium in California. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Ecuador taking the lead despite playing a man down and Venezuela eventually capitalizing on their numerical advantage to secure the victory.
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia was shown a straight red card in the 22nd minute for a dangerous challenge on Venezuela defender Jose Martinez. Despite being down a man, Ecuador displayed impressive resilience and took the lead in the 40th minute through Jeremy Sarmiento’s sensational strike from outside the box.
However, Venezuela manager Fernando Batista made tactical adjustments during halftime, introducing substitutes who ultimately proved decisive. Jhonder Cadiz, who had come on as a substitute, equalized in the 64th minute, pouncing on a cushioned layoff from Salomon Rondon. Ten minutes later, Eduard Bello sealed the victory for Venezuela, smashing home a rebound after Rondon’s shot was saved by Ecuador goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez.
Venezuela’s triumph was a testament to their resilience and tactical flexibility. They overcame the early setback of Ecuador’s lead and effectively exploited their numerical advantage in the second half. The victory sets them up well in Group B as they look to progress in the tournament.
