Darwin Núñez and his Uruguayan teammates easily moved past Bolivia’s defense, scoring goals almost at will. Núñez continued his scoring streak in international matches, contributing to a 5-0 victory on Thursday night that puts Uruguay on the brink of reaching the Copa America quarterfinals.
“We still have several important steps to take to ensure Uruguay reaches its full potential with the talented individuals we have,” remarked Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa. “Concluding now would be premature.”
Facundo Pellistri opened the scoring in the eighth minute, followed by Núñez doubling the lead in the 21st with his 10th goal in his last seven matches for Uruguay, and his 13th in 25 appearances overall.
Maximiliano Araújo added his second goal of the tournament in the 77th minute, while Federico Valverde (81st) and Rodrigo Bentancur (89th) sealed Uruguay’s first five-goal game since a 5-0 win against Panama in a friendly match back in June 2022.
“We need to maintain our intensity and keep pushing to dominate our opponents,” Pellistri emphasized.
Uruguay, aiming for a record 16th Copa America title, now stands at 2-0 with six points and a goal difference of plus-seven. A draw against the U.S. on Monday in Kansas City, Missouri, or possibly even a loss, would see them through to the next round. The U.S. currently has three points and a plus-one goal difference, while Panama also has three points but a minus-one difference.
Bolivia, on the other hand, has now lost 14 consecutive Copa America matches since 2015 and has only managed one win in their last 32 games.
With zero points and a goal difference of minus seven, Bolivia faces almost certain elimination unless they can turn things around in Monday’s match against Panama in Orlando, Florida. This would mark Bolivia’s fourth consecutive group-stage exit.
“This is the tournament’s third-youngest team,” noted Bolivia coach Antônio Carlos Zago. “We need to believe in the process, continue working hard, and allow our players to develop. Other national teams have faced similar challenges, and we must endure and grow from it.”
