In summary:
- Colombia advances to the Copa America final for the first time in 23 years, defeating Uruguay 1-0 despite playing a man down for the entire second half.
- After Jefferson Lerma’s first-half goal, Colombia’s defense stood strong, holding off a relentless Uruguayan attack to secure a historic victory.
- The match was ruined by a red card for Colombia and crowd brawls, raising security concerns for the final against Argentina.
With just ten players, Colombia defeated Uruguay 1-0 to make it to the Copa America final for the first time in twenty-three years. Wednesday’s semifinal was wild, with brawls breaking out in the crowd and on the field.
In the 39th minute, Jefferson Lerma scored the game-winning header. Argentina and Colombia will now square off in Sunday’s Miami final.
The game was played in front of a lively crowd, most of whom were Colombian supporters, which gave off a cozy feeling. Luis Diaz gave Colombia a strong start by creating early opportunities. Uruguay, known for its counterattacks, had chances but was unable to convert.
It was the sixth assist of the tournament for Rodriguez, with the former Real Madrid midfielder beating the record for most assists in a single Copa, which was set by Lionel Messi in 2021.
Real Madrid midfielder Valverde then came dangerously close with a dipping drive but Colombia’s defense kept riding their luck.
Shortly before halftime, Daniel Munoz was sent off for elbowing Manuel Ugarte, which was a blow for Colombia. As a result, Colombia had to play the entire second half in defense with 10 men to maintain their lead.
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Colombia Makes History
In the 62nd minute, Rodriguez, who had been given a yellow card, was substituted by Colombia’s coach, Nestor Lorenzo. Uruguay upped their game, as Luis Suarez and Nicolas de la Cruz nearly found the goal.
Colombia stayed firm with a strong defense. Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s attempt to equalize for Uruguay sailed over the crossbar in stoppage time. Mateus Uribe missed an opportunity to give Colombia the victory in the last minute.
Colombian supporters celebrated the win despite worries of the crowd violence. Organizers are much more worried about the security of the final, which will have many Argentine and Colombian fans
