This South American side got used to being mocked by their opponents so badly in the past. Now, with the help of a new coach and some familiar faces, La Vinotinto will try to pick up the pieces and earn some well-deserved respect.
After a number of players threatened to quit the National Team due to a complicated relationship with their former manager, and considering the team’s sloppy performance in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers, the Venezuelan Football Federation decided to give coach Rafael Dudamel a chance to lead the team in the continental tournament where anything different from a last-place finish will be a step forward for them.
Venezuela’s Copa América record
La Vinotinto has only been able to make it to the knockout stage of the tournament twice in 17 Copa América appearances. In the 2011 tournament, Venezuela reached the semi-final stage for the first and only time, so far. They however lost the third-place match against Perú. Venezuela’s record shows only five wins in 58 Copa América matches, two of those during their historic 2011 performance.
Venezuela came close to reaching the tournament's final, but they lost to Paraguay in an excruciating penalty shootout.
Venezuela’s current form
The Copa America Centenario's timing couldn’t have been worse for La Vinotinto, considering they have won just one game in the past 11 months! After their 1-0 Copa América win against Colombia, Sanvicente’s men went on a terrible run of seven defeats in eight matches. Then they won a friendly match against Costa Rica in February this year but went back to their poor form, drawing away to Peru and losing 4-1 at home to Chile in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers where they are rock-bottom in the CONMEBOL table.
They'll be hoping to learn the most of their four warm-up games against Galicia, Panama, Los Ticos and Guatemala, in order to open their Copa America Centenario campaign on a positive note against Jamaica on June 5th.
Rafael Dudamel’s profile
The former shot-stopper made a name for himself while goalkeeping for La Vinotinto back in the 90s. He will try to replicate the success he had with the Venezuelan U-17 team as manager. Speaking about Dudamel's tactics, he likes to play with five defenders, two holding midfielders and a couple of strikers. This will be his second experience with an A-Team, following his term as coach for Estudiantes Mérida in 2010.
Dudamel is one of Venezuela's footballing legends.
Copa America broadcasters in Venezuela
Cable and terrestrial TV broadcaster Venevisión secured the Copa America 2016 rights in Venezuela. Coverage of all 32 matches will also be available live on satellite platform DirecTV via DirecTV Sports. Mobile and online streaming will be accessible to subscribers for no extra cost on DirecTV Play’s app and web platform.
Go to Venezuela's page for the team's full Copa America Centenario fixtures and global online and TV listings.
Venezuela’s Copa América Centenario roster
Dudamel called up 31 footballers for the continental tournament, but his squad will be reduced to 23 men before the month of June. West Brom’s Salomon Rondón, captain Tomás Rincón and talented youngster Adalberto Peñaranda are expected to become the team’s leaders this summer, following Juan Arango’s retirement from the National Team. Arango is La Vinotinto’s all-time goal scoring leader and the player with the most caps (127) as well.
Venezuela’s roster includes five strikers, all of them playing abroad.
Goalkeepers: Daniel Hernández (Tenerife), José Contreras (Deportivo Táchira), Wuilker Fariñez (Caracas).
Defenders: Alexander González (Huesca), Roberto Rosales (Málaga), Wilker Ángel (Deportivo Táchira), José Manuel Velázquez (Arouca), Oswaldo Vizcarrondo (Nantes), Mikel Villanueva (Atlético Malagueño), Rolf Feltscher (Duisburg)
Midfielders: Tomás Rincón (Genoa), Yangel Herrera (Atlético Venezuela), Carlos Suárez (Carabobo), Arquímedes Figuera (Deportivo La Guaira), Alejandro Guerra (Atlético Nacional), Adalberto Peñaranda (Granada), Luis Manuel Seijas (Santa Fe), Juan Pablo Añor (Málaga), Rómulo Otero (Huachipato).
Forwards: Salomón Rondón (West Brom), Christian Santos (NEC), Yonathan del Valle (Kasimpasa), Josef Martínez (Torino)
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
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