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Uruguay secured a spot in the Copa America semi-finals by defeating Brazil in a penalty shootout (4-2) after a scoreless game on Saturday.
Despite finishing the game with ten men due to Nahitan Nandez's red card in the 74th minute, Uruguay will now face Colombia in the semi-final in Charlotte, North Carolina on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Colombia, who are currently on a 27-game unbeaten streak, dominated Panama with a 5-0 victory in the other quarter-final match in Arizona.
The upcoming semi-final in New Jersey on Tuesday will feature world champions Argentina against the surprising contender, Canada. Brazil, a five-time world champion, faced a disappointing exit from the tournament due to their lackluster performance.
It is evident that Dorival Junior's team needs to put in a lot of effort to be competitive in the 2026 World Cup.
The match took place in a city known more for boxing than soccer, resulting in a physical game with minimal quality play and a total of 41 fouls.
The poor condition of the playing field further hindered both teams from showcasing their best football on an uneven surface.
The few opportunities in the game included a missed header by Uruguay's Darwin Nunez and a crucial save by Uruguay's goalkeeper Sergio Rochet from Brazil's Raphinha.
Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay displayed their characteristic tenacity by constantly pressuring Brazil in midfield and disrupting their rhythm with fouls.
Brazil heavily relied on long balls forward, but with only 17-year-old Endrick as their central striker due to Vinicius Junior's suspension, they lacked the necessary physical presence for this strategy to be effective.
As the game progressed, the frequency of fouls increased, indicating lenient refereeing.
Uruguay's hopes of wearing down Brazil suffered a setback when Nandez received a red card for a dangerous tackle on Rodrygo.
