Garnero knows dismal Copa America display could cost him Paraguay job

Paraguay coach Daniel Garnero knows a dismal Copa America campaign may end up costing him his job.

Garnero’s team, who were already eliminated before kick-off, lost 2-1 to Costa Rica on Tuesday.

It means they finished bottom of Group D, having lost each of their three matches.

Paraguay had not lost all of their group games at the Copa America since 1925.

And Garnero knows it could spell the end of his tenure.

“It was a bad tournament, a bad performance,” he said.

“I am here because the association requested my services and if they don’t want me to continue, that is their decision. I’ll have to discuss that with them.”

Paraguay did at least score in all their group stage matches, a feat they have achieved two other times this century in the Copa America (2015 and 2004), but the group, which also included Colombia and Brazil, proved far too strong.

They had the better of the chances against Costa Rica, who became the first team to score two goals within the first 10 minutes of play in a Copa America match since Argentina did so against Chile in 1995.

Francisco Calvo and Josimar Alcocer put Costa Rica 2-0 up. At 19 years and 362 days old, the latter is the third youngest player from a non-CONMEBOL team to score at the Copa America.

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— CONMEBOL Copa América ENG (@copaamerica_ENG) July 3, 2024

Ramon Sosa lashed in a brilliant effort to get Paraguay back into the contest, but Costa Rica held firm.

They have now gone four consecutive matches without losing to Paraguay in all competitions (W2 D2). This is the second-longest unbeaten streak for the Ticos against a CONMEBOL team, only surpassed by a five-match unbeaten run against Venezuela between 2001 and 2011 (W2, D3).

The victory was not enough to send Costa Rica through, though, as they finished third, one point behind Brazil.

“This was a very tough group. We were playing against Brazil and Colombia, two of the four favourites to win the Copa,” Costa Rica coach Gustavo Alfaro said.

“We had our strengths, our achievements and our mistakes, but we grew and we’re analysing the performance rather than the results.

“The important thing is that we learn.”