Copa America 2015 Team Guide: Venezuela

The final instalment of our look at the participating nations of the 2015 Copa America sees us take in Venezuela, one of 2011’s semi-finalists who until then had had a fairly disappointing history in the tournament.

All week long we have been identifying the men to watch for each of the 12 teams that will play out the tournament in Chile over the course of almost a month.

Check out the other teams featured so far:

Group A—Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Bolivia
Group B—Paraguay, Uruguay, Jamaica

Venezuela’s squad doesn’t contain too many stand-out names, though Juan Arango and Salomon Rondon are the two that most will be more familiar with. Reuters (h/t Yahoo Sports) lists the final 23 selected for the Copa America.

Goalkeepers: Alain Baroja, Wuilker Farinez (both Caracas FC), Daniel Hernandez (Tenerife)

Defenders: Gabriel Cichero (Mineros de Guayana), Grenddy Perozo (AC Ajaccio), Andres Tunez (Buriram United), Wilker Angel (Deportivo Tachira), Roberto Rosales (Malaga), Fernando Amorebieta (Middlesbrough), Oswaldo Vizcarrondo (Nantes)

Midfielders: Rafael Acosta (Mineros de Guayana), Alejandro Guerra (Atletico Nacional), Ronald Vargas (Balikesirspor), Franklin Lucena (Deportivo La Guaira), Cesar Gonzalez (Deportivo Tachira), Tomas Rincon (Genoa), Luis Manuel Seijas (Independiente Santa Fe), Juan Arango (Tijuana)

Forwards: Jhon Murillo (Benfica), Gelmin Rivas (Deportivo Tachira), Nicolas Fedor (Rayo Vallecano), Josef Martinez (Torino), Salomon Rondon (Zenit St Petersburg).

To get the inside track on Venezuela’s men that matter most, South American football expert Juan Arango (@juang_arango) (same name, not player!) points out the changes since Noel Sanvicente took over in September 2014.

“If there was one thing that Venezuela proved in their friendly against Jamaica, it’s that they have some problems out wide. Their back line is a bit slow and ageing; in fact if you look at them as an entire team it is ageing overall.

“It's also a team which wants to be more attacking under Sanvicente as opposed to a more conservative, defensive-oriented style that Cesar Farias had, but the team is having issues making the transition. One thing that helps them is that historically they are a tough nut to crack and could revert to a more defensive style that has given teams like Colombia fits.”

Salomon Rondon will be Venezuela’s big hope to turn chances into goals and thus win games.

The Zenit striker has just helped his side win the title in Russia with 13 league goals in 26 games and is a pacy and powerful presence in the final third. He’s direct, not really one to spend too much time outside the box if he doesn’t need to, and will help hold the ball up as well as his team launch counter-attacks.

Any hopes Venezuela have of reaching the last four again will hinge on him firing.

For a youthful prospect who could go on to make an impact, Arango hails Jhon Murillo as one to watch.

The 20-year-old has just signed for Portuguese side Benfica on a long-term deal and scored less than one minute into his senior debut for Venezuela’s national team, chesting in from close range after a defensive mix-up.

Murillo spoke of his delight at being involved to Marca (h/t the official Copa America website):

I’m happy with the confidence that professor Noel has shown in me. To be given a chance like this with the national team, it’s important to take advantage of it. It’s an extra motivation for me to keep pushing for a place at the Copa America. It would be important for me to go to the Copa America and earn a place in the team, and then to be able to return feeling good to the club (Benfica).

Venezuela didn’t enter the Copa America for the first time until 1967. From then, they have only twice managed to reach the latter stages of the competition—both in the last two events.

Winners: never
Runners-up: never
Last four: One

Most recent finishes:
2011: Fourth place
2007: Quarter-final
2004: Group stage
2001: Group stage
1999: Group stage

14 June, 4 p.m. (CLT)—Estadio El Teniente, Rancagua
Colombia vs. Venezuela

18 June, 8:30 p.m. (CLT)—Estadio Elias Figueroa, Valparaiso
Peru vs. Venezuela

21 June, 6:30 p.m. (CLT)—Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago
Brazil vs. Venezuela

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