The schedule for Day 11 of the Copa America Centenario features the third set of matches in Group C (all times Eastern):
Mexico vs. Venezuela in Houston, 8 p.m. (Fox Sports 1, Univision)
The decisive match for Mexico in this group was supposed to come first, against ninth-ranked Uruguay. Instead, oddly enough, it will come last, against 77th-ranked Venezuela.
Still, neither side has been especially impressive. The Venezuelans won their opener, 1-0, despite being outplayed by a 10-man Jamaica squad and then held off Uruguay, 2-1, as Edinson Cavani wasted a golden chance and Luis Suarez watched unhappily from the bench. Mexico has enjoyed its own share of good fortune, taking advantage of Suarez’s absence in its first game and Clayton Donaldson’s poor finishing touch in the second.
Both are through to the knockout stages regardless, but a winner would dodge Argentina — and considering Mexico’s storied history of being eliminated by La Albiceleste in major tournaments, that’s a worthy prize. PSV midfielder Andres Guardado, back for El Tri after serving a red-card suspension, supplies a boost to an attack that’s starting to click.
Jamaica vs. Uruguay in Santa Clara, Calif., 10 p.m. (Fox Sports 1, UniMas)
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The fact that both of these two teams are already eliminated means the biggest reason to tune in would be the presence of Suarez. Yet the fact that both of these two teams are already eliminated also means Suarez isn’t likely to play: Especially with World Cup qualifiers less than three months off; there’s little reason for risk.
“We want Suarez when he’s ready,” Tabarez said after Thursday’s match.
The understanding is that, however Tabarez defines “ready,” Suarez still is not it.
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