Uruguay is close to winning their 16th Copa America title. Colombia is in good form, having not lost in 27 consecutive matches.
Wednesday night’s semifinal clash between these two South American teams at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, promises to be intense.
The winner will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina, the defending champion, who defeated Canada 2-0 in the other semifinal, on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Uruguay’s Manuel Ugarte scored the decisive goal in a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals after a scoreless draw on Saturday night.
The match was physical, with 41 fouls and only four shots on goal.
However, the victory came at a cost. Uruguay’s Nahitan Nández received a red card in the 74th minute for a dangerous tackle, and defender Ronald Araújo suffered a muscle injury. Both will miss the semifinal against Colombia.
Now, Uruguay faces another tough challenge against a strong Colombia team that advanced to the semifinals with a dominant 5-0 win over Panama. Jhon Córdoba, James Rodríguez, and Luis Díaz all scored in the first half of that match.
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa acknowledged that the match against Brazil was choppy, limiting both teams’ ability to showcase their skills. He anticipates a more exciting game against Colombia, known for their attacking style.
Colombia has been impressive in the tournament, outscoring opponents 11-2 so far.
“We both have talented players, and both teams will adjust their strategies,” Bielsa commented.
Although their quarterfinal victory wasn’t flawless, Uruguay is now closer to reaching the final for the first time since their championship win 13 years ago.
