What's Decided In The Top Leagues: Titles, Cup Finals, UCL, Relegation
July 4 (Reuters) - History is at stake for both Venezuela and Canada when they meet on Friday in Arlington, Texas, in the second Copa America quarter-final.
Long considered one of the minnows of South American football, Venezuela would guarantee tying their best Copa America showing by advancing past Canada, ensuring they at least match their fourth-place finish in 2011.
"We know that we have to motivate ourselves a little bit more than maybe how we motivated ourselves for the group phase," Venezuela manager Fernando Batista said, through an interpreter.
"Because we are very close to surpassing the best performance historically of Venezuela in Copa America. We know it's important."
Venezuela won all three of their Group B matches but perhaps rode their luck a bit in the process, aided by Enner Valencia's early red card in a 2-1 win over Ecuador and Orbelin Pineda's penalty miss in a 1-0 win over Mexico.
In their first Copa America appearance, Canada also got some breaks in their path to the quarter-finals, defeating Peru 1-0 and drawing Chile 0-0 in matches in which both opponents received red cards.
Canada's one goal, scored via Jonathan David, is the fewest among teams that advanced and they will be without winger Tajon Buchanan, who suffered a broken tibia in training following the Chile draw that clinched the second-place finish in Group A.
"There's so much room for improvement," manager Jesse Marsch said after the Chile draw.
"But I have to say the overall mentality and commitment to try to be the team that we want to become has been at the highest level I've seen of any team I've worked with.
"That part I've really enjoyed. I'm proud of them, but more so, I'm happy for them." (Reporting by Field Level Media; Editing by Peter Rutherford )
MV5BODYxNjRmY2UtMGIwNC00MTU2LWEwMmUtM2U5YzdkYjY3Y2RhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjMxMjg5MzA@. V1 7e2cd48 Bef 2c4a 4efd 8461bdd4f525 299f9e94 2d8a 4cfa 8179 369a045cc023 Cq5dam.web.1280.1280 1702394598?v=1Shutterstock 2361055519 Maxresdefault What How How Much To Study 2 Web Guidelines To Start Your Academic Year 2023 2024 Prep 2024small 165922 96dad55b 284e 4f1c 91da E10373b4cef8 960x0 ?format\u003djpg\u0026width\u003d960STEP AU CONFERENCE 2024 STEP Australia Eventbrite 1 20240101065925 659262cd15297 2024 Advice For Studentspage0 Maxresdefault Instagram Post Progressive Classroom 2 ?w=1024Original 735ed979ddd54c685800ea1460e205fa ?resize=752xHqdefault ?sqp= OaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB AH CYAC0AWKAgwIABABGGUgRyg MA8=&rs=AOn4CLDW6YHsUNkDRwhJ9MVT4ThXPcPG0gSofe 2023 Cover ?1681501001951IMG 2454 1536x2048 Maxresdefault Maxresdefault 06e13aa81ec7536ec79744820c5765ce Steps Logo De Byline Black Step Into Prep 2023 PDF Hqdefault WhatsApp Image 2023 02 09 At 07.57.39 1024x1024 53217754649 B5d203b2c3 B 1672742949291?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=7EYg2KP37N1qJyTqLmzx9QAMMqrIgkz65BXPWAG2fqYStep Into Prep 2 Screenshot 2023 05 05 At 10.46.33 AM 1 Maxresdefault Maxresdefault 5 2 Maxresdefault B413 768x600