Uruguay Brazil 0-0 (4-2 pen.): Talking points as La Celeste reach Copa semifinals

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After a goalless stalemate, Uruguay beat Brazil on penalties in the Copa America semifinals, knocking the Selecao out to set up a battle with Colombia for a spot in the final. They played the closing stages of the game with 10 men, after defender Nahitan Nandez received a red card in the 74th minute.

The teams

Both teams were arranged in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Back in the dugout after a one-match suspension, Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa chose the back line of Nandez, Ronald Araujo, Mathias Olivera and Matias Vina as the defensive line in front of goalkeeper Sergio Rochet. Manuel Ugarte and Federico Valverde paired up in the middle of the park, while the trio of Facundo Pellistri, Nicolas de la Cruz and Maximiliano Araujo supported Darwin Nunez in attack.

For Brazil, coach Dorival Junior paired Marquinhos with Eder Militao in the heart of defence, flanked by Danilo and Guilherme Arana. Joao Gomes and Bruno Guimaraes were in midfield, and in the absence of the suspended Vinicius Junior, striker Endrick had Rodrygo on the left wing, Raphinha on the right, and Lucas Paqueta as the central attacking midfielder, in support.

The game

Loaded with South American passion and enriched further by club-level rivalries between the players of the two teams, the match was very dynamic and full of tension from the start, making the work of referee Dario Herrera from Argentina very difficult. The first real chance of the match fell for Nunez in the 18th minute, and Uruguay were extremely unlucky not to take the lead as the Liverpool striker reacted well to a scramble in Brazil’s box to head goalwards, but one of his opponents showed extreme composure to divert the shot wide of the post.

Ten minutes later, it was Brazil’s turn to cause problems for Uruguay, as they pressured Vina into a mistake and the Celeste left-back inadvertantly put the ball on a platter for Endrick inside the box, but as the new Real Madrid forward squared it for the incoming…

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Source link : https://www.soccernews.com/uruguay-brazil-0-0-4-2-pen-talking-points-as-la-celeste-reach-copa-semifinals/373593/

Author : Veselin Trajkovic

Publish date : 2024-07-07 16:42:24

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