MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Colombia head coach Nestor Lorenzo criticized CONMEBOL’s choice to increase the 2024 Copa América closing half-time from a conventional quarter-hour to 25 minutes with the intention to accommodate a efficiency from Colombian pop star Shakira.
“I hope you get pleasure from, Shakira is nice,” he stated in his information convention forward of Sunday’s closing with Argentina at Exhausting Rock Stadium. “For a closing, when the foundations change for each groups, dangerous pitches for each or identical climate for each, then I can not say if its dangerous or if it favors one aspect.
“I can not perceive it, I want it have been like the remainder. After we got here out within the sixteenth minute we have been sanctioned, however now that there’s a present we are able to come out within the Twentieth-minute mark. Gamers can get chilly, however it’s on each side. I came upon at the moment that that is how it’s, and that is it.”
The coach referenced incidents within the group stage that noticed managers Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Ricardo Gareca (Chile), Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay) and Fernando Batista (Venezuela) suspended for one match after every staff arrived late to the sector of play. The nation’s soccer federations have been moreover fined $15,000 every.
In addition to the change in half-time, CONMEBOL additionally selected to reintroduce further time to the ultimate. In the course of the quarterfinal and semifinal levels, a regular-time tie resulted in an computerized penalty shootout, however the closing will see a further half-hour performed earlier than reaching penalties.
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Whatever the newly applied guidelines, Lorenzo insists Colombia is able to compete and see James Rodríguez thrive towards the reigning Copa América champions.
“He is accomplished an amazing Copa América, we’re fortunate that he’s good and brought management of the staff,” he stated. “And that the staff has supported him and brought him to this recreation, the place we wish to be. He is been probably the greatest, I do not know if the most effective however one in all. And I hope tomorrow he offers off a superb efficiency.”
Rodríguez enters the ultimate with one aim and 6 assists, surpassing Lionel Messi’s document (5 in 2021) for essentially the most aim assists in a single version of the competitors since data started in 2011. “We all know the left foot that James has, we all know it is probably the greatest,” Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez stated of the Colombian determine.
Whereas Argentina is seeking to win a 3rd straight main event, having additionally received the World Cup in 2022, Colombia is looking for to elevate simply its second Copa América crown and first since 2001.