Uruguay secured victory over Brazil in a nervy penalty shootout at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, thus securing their berth semi-final Copa America. Uruguay will now go against high-flying Colombia for Copa America’s final ticket.
Result: Uruguay 0-0 Brazil
Penalty Score: Uruguay 4-2 Brazil
First Half Analysis
This match started as a scrappy affair with little of the impressive football from both South American powerhouses. Uruguay set the tone early in the first half and made a fair fight over fouls rather than goals. By the end of the game, they racked up 26 to Brazil’s 15. Uruguay played aggressively, but Brazil had stronger chances in the first half. They also suffered a big blow as their star Ronald Araujo was injured and had to go off. 
Key Moments
- Ronald Araujo suffered an injury and was forced to be substituted for Jose Gimenez
- Both teams looked scratchy in the final third
- Uruguay looked ultra-aggressive and conceded more fouls
Second Half Highlights
The second half of the match added flair and surge into the match. Brazil started on the front foot and soon got the advantage as Uruguay went down to 10 men after an aggressive tackle by Nahitan Nández. Despite the big advantage, Brazil failed to capitalize as Marcelo Bielsa’s tactics proved on-point despite being man-down. The absence of Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was easily visible as Brazil didn’t look confident going forward. In the end, Uruguay prevailed in the shootout and qualified for the semis of Copa America.
Key Moments
- Uruguay’s Nahitan Nández was sent off in the 74th minute
- Brazil’s Endrick nearly broke the 0-0 stalemate with a shot from outside the box, but Sergio Rochet saved Uruguay.
- Manuel Ugarte scored the winning penalty.
Match Defining Moments
Fede Valverde’s midfield supremacy:
The Uruguay vs Brazil game heavily depended on the midfield battle between both teams. Due to Valverde’s brilliance, Uruguay completely dominated the proceedings against Joao Gomes and Bruno Guimaraes. The Real Madrid star won 60 percent of ground duels and made sure Brazil didn’t have a free run. Especially after getting down to 10 men, Valverde was top-notch with his work rate.
Marcelo Bielsa’s masterstroke:
Uruguay was down to 10 men in the 74th minute, and at the moment, it looked like Brazil would cash in and take advantage of the depleted Uruguayan defense. Any name can panic at that moment but Bielsa didn’t move an inch. He didn’t go all defense and got attacking midfielder De Arrascaeta and right-back Varela in to balance things. Bielsa utilized his resources perfectly, and Brazil couldn’t even stitch a close move despite having the man advantage.
Sergio Rochet’s spirit:
When the match went to a penalty shootout, everyone thought Brazil would have an advantage as they have seasoned campaigners like Alisson in the sticks but Uruguay’s Sergio Rochet proved all these theories wrong. Rochet made two big saves in the shootout to take his nation to the historical Copa America semifinal.
Implications and Future Prospects
Brazil will be returning home after the sub-par performance. La Celeste was lackluster throughout the tournament, and their elimination on penalty kicks tells the same story. Although they had a very young squad but everyone expected more from them. The absence of Vinicius Junior also did nothing good to them.
Uruguay have looked a different beast under Bielsa and this match was a perfect example as despite being a man down, they didn’t let their guards down and fought the battle. This match also marked a victory for Uruguay’s first over Brazil in 13 meetings since 2001. Uruguay are looking settled at the moment and will look to take down Colombia in next game.
Upcoming Fixtures
Uruguay vs. Colombia: 11 July 2024 (Parimatch Odds: Uruguay to win 2.92x and Colombia to win 2.92x)
Conclusion
The Uruguay-Brazil clash promised fireworks but devolved into a niggling, stop-start affair that left a bitter taste in the mouths of purists. Uruguay, however, prevailed in the end through penalties and will now face Colombia in the semifinal of Copa America.
