Colombia’s coach claims Argentina had an advantage in Copa America 2024 Final

Nestor Lorenzo discusses Copa America Final loss to Argentina. Claims ‘Albiceleste’ had an advantage.

By Matías Persuh

Updated on August 05, 2024 10:24AM EDT

Updated on August 05, 2024 10:24AM EDT

© IMAGO/Agencia-MexSportNestor Lorenzo questioned the rest days during the Copa America.

Several weeks have passed since the Argentine national team secured their second consecutive Copa America title by defeating Colombia in the final at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Despite this, there remains some lingering dissatisfaction on the Colombian side regarding the tournament, particularly with the final match against the Albiceleste.

Argentina defeated Colombia 1-0 with a goal from Lautaro Martinez in extra time. Under the management of Lionel Scaloni, the Argentine squad justified their victory by playing at a high level during the extra period and demonstrating their superiority on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, Colombia ran out of steam, a point that their coach, Argentine Nestor Lorenzo, has offered an explanation for.

Nestor Lorenzo’s criticisms of Colombia’s short rest period in Copa America 2024

While he expressed being “satisfied” with the performance of the Colombian national team, Lorenzo pointed out a factor that worked against them and provided an advantage to Argentina. In an interview with SuperMitre, the former assistant to Jose Pekerman criticized the organization of the Copa America.

“One should never be complacent. Now, after analyzing the logistics, the matches, and the players’ expenses, I believe it was a bit uneven. We arrived in a physically disadvantaged position”, Lorenzo questioned.

Nestor Lorenzo, Colombia’s head coach

In this regard, the Colombia coach argued that his team had less rest time compared to Argentina, which affected them in such a physically demanding and tense final. “Considering we played six matches in 20 days, while Argentina played in 24, and they had their semifinals a day earlier—there were many factors that influenced how the start disadvantaged us more” he said.

“In fact, many of my players asked to be substituted because they were cramping up. That had a significant impact; we were fit to compete, and we did well, but we fell a bit short. Playing two matches in Arizona—well, training there was extremely tough,” he concluded.

Argentina and Colombia will face each other again in the South American World Cup Qualifiers

Argentina and Colombia will renew their clash from the Copa America final, but this time in the South American World Cup Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. They will meet on September 10th in Barranquilla.

Ahead of this match, there is concern in Colombia over the high demand for tickets from local fans. Consequently, the Colombian Football Federation issued a statement clarifying that there will be a reduced capacity at the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla and urged caution regarding ticket scalping for the game.

Matias Persuh is a sports journalist and writer who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism in 2008. Since then, he has covered numerous events, including local soccer games, and has interviewed players and coaches. Matias has also participated as a columnist in various radio shows. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Slovenian, he displays great enthusiasm when analyzing NBA and NFL games. In addition, he regularly follows major competitions such as the Premier League, Serie A, and La Liga. Joining Bolavip US in July 2024 marked a significant step forward in his career, allowing him to continue developing his skills and delivering the most resonant news and reports to the audience.

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Publish date : 2024-08-05 03:24:00

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