Copa América semis set after Uruguay knocks out Brazil

Copa América

Published Jul. 6, 2024 11:46 p.m. ET

The Copa América semifinals are set.

After beating Brazil on Saturday in a penalty shootout following a scoreless tie, Uruguay will meet Colombia on Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a place in the July 14 final in Miami.

La Celeste claimed the last spot in the final four at USA 2024 in front of a raucous crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Argentina and Canada will contest the other semifinal on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Los Cafeteros demolished Panama 5-0 earlier on Saturday.

Here are a few quick thoughts on Saturday’s nightcap.

Play of the game

There wasn’t much to pick from during this defensive slog, so Uruguay’s winner takes the cake. Manuel Ugarte potted the decisive strike after two Brazilian players failed to convert their attempts from 12 yards:

Turning point

Brazil gained a huge advantage when fullback Nahitan Nández was shown a straight red card for foul play following a video review:

Unfortunately for the five-time World Cup winners, they were unable to capitalize on the man advantage they held over the final 15-plus minutes.

Key stat

It’s hard to argue that either side deserved to win. Brazil can still rue its luck: Dorival Júnior’s squad controlled 60 percent of possession and had three times as many on-target shots as Uruguay’s one.

What’s next for Brazil?

The Seleção must now return its attention to South America’s qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the USA. Brazil currently sits sixth out of 10 teams and has lost three consecutive matches. They host Ecuador on Sept. 5 and then visit Paraguay five days later.

What’s next for Uruguay?

A hotly-contested elimination game against the Colombians. Both teams are legitimate title threats, even though Argentina remains the prohibitive favorite. Should both Uruguay and the Albiceleste prevail, they’d each play for their record 15h Copa América title next weekend at Hard Rock Stadium.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports who has covered the United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him at @ByDougMcIntyre.