By Humberto Viera
Jun 23, 2024, 10:25 AM EDT
Mexico achieved a vital 1-0 victory against Jamaica in its debut in the Copa América 2024. A goal from Gerardo Arteaga was enough for Jaime Lozano’s team to add its first three points in the tournament and start its adventure in the right foot. USA.
However, the victory was bittersweet for Mexico due to captain Edson Álvarez’s injury during the match.
Pending a precise medical diagnosis, it is feared that Álvarez’s injury could be serious and leave him out of the rest of the Copa América. In this case, El Tri would find themselves in a delicate situation, since they would not be able to replace the captain with another player.
In accordance with Copa América rules, no injury substitutions are allowed once the official 26-player roster has been submitted. This means that, if Álvarez is confirmed as absent from the tournament, the Mexican National Team will be left with only 25 players to face the rest of the competition.
Article 71, “Substitution of player due to injury or illness”, of the Copa América 2024 regulations, establishes that: “In case of serious injury or detection of pathological clinical elements of a player, after sending the Good Faith List , and that prevents him from playing the tournament, the replacement of said player with another player included in the Provisional List will be allowed up to 24 hours before his team’s first match in the Competition, with the approval of the CONMEBOL Medical Commission.
The possible loss of Edson Álvarez would be a serious blow to Mexico’s aspirations in the Copa América. The West Ham midfielder is a key piece in Jaime Lozano’s scheme, both for his leadership on and off the field and for his football quality.
In the next few hours, the final medical diagnosis regarding Álvarez’s injury is expected. The severity of it will determine whether the Tri captain will be able to continue competing in the tournament or if, on the contrary, he will have to say goodbye to the Copa América prematurely.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Álvarez’s injury, El Tri has no time to grieve. Next Wednesday they will face Venezuela in their second match in Group B, seeking to add another victory that will bring them closer to the next phase of the tournament.
Keep reading:
–Fernando Batista lowered the foam after Venezuela’s victory: “On Wednesday we have another final”
–Mexico beat Jamaica with a great goal from Gerardo Arteaga and added three in the Copa América
–“We want to demonstrate the level”: Marcelo Bielsa is committed to confirming Uruguay’s good moment