The Copa América semifinals have been decided. Uruguay surprised everyone by beating Brazil in a penalty shootout after a scoreless tie. They will now face Colombia in Charlotte, North Carolina for a spot in the final on July 14 in Miami. The last spot in the final four was claimed by La Celeste in front of a lively crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. On the other hand, Argentina and Canada will be competing in the other semifinal in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Colombia dominated Panama with a 5-0 victory earlier on Saturday.
During the defensive matchup between Uruguay and Brazil, the play of the game was when Manuel Ugarte scored the decisive goal in the penalty shootout after two Brazilian players missed their attempts. Brazil had a significant advantage when Nahitan Nández from Uruguay received a red card for a foul play after a video review, but they were unable to capitalize on it in the final 15-plus minutes. Even though Brazil had 60 percent possession and three times as many on-target shots as Uruguay, luck was not on their side.
Looking ahead, Brazil will need to focus on the South America qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the USA. Currently sitting in sixth place out of 10 teams and with three consecutive losses, Brazil has upcoming matches against Ecuador and Paraguay in September. On the other hand, Uruguay will face a tough challenge against Colombia in the semifinals. Both teams are considered strong contenders for the title, with Argentina being the favorite. If Uruguay and Argentina both win their matches, they will compete for the record 15th Copa América title at Hard Rock Stadium next weekend.
Doug McIntyre, a soccer writer for FOX Sports, covered the exciting Copa América semifinals. He has vast experience covering the United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him on Twitter at @ByDougMcIntyre for more insights on the tournament. Don’t miss out on all the action from Copa América by following your favorite teams for the latest updates on games, news, and more.