Uruguay beat Brazil 4-2 on penalties after 0-0 draw, advance to Copa America semi-finals

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Manuel Ugarte scored the winning goal in the fifth-round shootout and Uruguay advanced to the Copa America semifinals with a 4-2 win over Brazil on penalties after the teams drew Saturday night.

The teams committed 41 fouls and had just four shots on target, the highest total of the tournament, in a tense, frantic match with little of the impressive football for which both South American powers are known.

Uruguay’s Nahitan Nández was sent off in the 74th minute for a dangerous foul on Rodrygo, but Brazil were unable to break through against the 10-man opposition in the following 21 minutes.

Uruguay led 3-1 after three rounds of the shootout when goalkeeper Sergio Rochet stopped Éder Militão and Douglas Luiz hit the post. Alisson Becker saved José María Giménez’s shot in the fourth round to keep Brazil alive, but Ugarte fired home the decisive goal.

After the third penalty shootout in four Copa America quarterfinals, Uruguay advanced to face Colombia in the semifinals on Wednesday night in Charlotte. Colombia beat Panama 5-0 earlier on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run to 27 straight games.

Defending champion Argentina will face Canada in the other semifinal in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The final is on July 14 in Miami Gardens.

Brazil played without Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, who watched from the stands while suspended after two yellow cards. The Seleção are already without Neymar, who has not played since tearing a knee ligament in Brazil’s loss to Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier last fall.

That victory was Uruguay’s first over Brazil in 13 meetings since 2001, but Uruguay under famed coach Marcelo Bielsa have now beaten Brazil in back-to-back matches for the first time since 1992.

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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press