Uruguay vs Colombia highlights, URU 0-1 COL, Copa America 2024: Lerma’s goal helps Los Cafeteros set up final against Argentina

URU 0-1 COL

Lerma saw Rochet off his line as he fancied a strike from the halfway line but it didn’t matter as the referee blew the full time whistle. Colombia players jump in jubilation as they will face Argentina in the Copa America 2024 final.

The Uruguayan keeper keeps Uribe’s strike out as the save takes a rebound off the crossbar.

Rochet fails to clear the lines as Colombia’s Uribe gets a perfect chance to double the lead but his attempt goes wide.

Players like Mojica are putting their bodies on the line to prevent Uruguay from getting any shot on target. Less than 10 minutes to go now, with a few minutes of stoppage time.

Defender Yerry Mina comes on for Cordoba.

Valverde cuts it back inside the box for Suarez who takes a shot only to find the upright! Uruguay coming close to an equaliser.

It’s Gimenez who is booked after fouling Luis Diaz.

Varela’s semifinal cameo is shortlived as Luis Suarez comes on for the defender.

It’s substitute Varela who sees yellow after fouling Diaz.

The Colombia coach isn’t taking any chances as he brings Rodriguez off, lest he see another yellow card. Rios too comes off, as Uribe and Castano come on.

The physios are on the pitch and looks like Rios might have to be brought off.

The skipper is booked after he argues with the referee for not stopping play with Rios down injured.

Colombia are visibly working with two lines of four players each defending as Uruguay tries to come back into the game.

Santiago Arias comes on for Jhon Arias.

Mathias Olivera and Facundo Pellistri come off for Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Cristian Olivera.

Colombia is ahead 1-0 against Uruguay, despite being down a man.

After Munoz’s red card, Colombia came close to adding a second after Cordoba and Diaz troubled Rochet a bit but the referee blows the whistle for half time.

Daniel Munoz sees a second yellow card after he is seen elbowing Ugarte in the chest.

Munoz darts inside the box and sets it up for Rios, who takes the shot first time but Rochet makes a good save.

It’s James Rodriguez once again with his sixth assist of the tournament as he delivers a pinpoint ball inside the box from a corner as Jefferson Lerma heads it inside the goal.

Bentancur limps off due to an injury as Guillermo Varela comes on.

Great ball from Rodriguez as Cordoba rises to get his head onto the cross, but the attempt is way wide.

Munoz gets booked for a tackle on Araujo.

On the counter, Uruguay once again was primed to take the lead as Nunez left his man behind to set up a shot, but it whizzed past the upright.

This came shortly after Uruguay’s De La Cruz was booked for fouling Rios.

A monstrous scream from Nunez as he is visibly frustrated. He gets another shot at goal but the angle was a bit tighter this time as the attempt goes wide.

Rodriguez whips it in but the ball is too close to the goalkeeper.

Araujo fouls Munoz. Time for Rodriguez to do something.

That was Uruguay’s best chance to take the lead as the Liverpool forward gets between two centre-backs and tries to side foot it inside the goal, but misses the target by an inch or so.

Diaz is having a good start to the game so far. The Liverpool winger does well to fend off two Uruguayan players to deliver a cross inside the box as Munoz rises to head it towards the goal, but the attempt is wide.

Diaz with his dancing feet as he makes enough space for a lobbed pass towards Cordoba in the box, but the pass has too much power on it and goes beyond the forward.

A throw for the 15-time champion as Uruguay tries to attack for the first time in the match. Colombia still with most of the ball.

Colombia seeing most of the ball for the first five minutes or so, as Uruguay tries to keep the players in yellow at bay.

Colombia gets us going in the Copa America 2024 semifinal at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Both sides are singing their respective national anthems ahead of what promises to be a great dual.

Uruguay: Rochet (GK), Olivera, Gimenez, Caceres, De La Cruz, Ugarte, Valverde, Bentancur, Nunez, Pellistri, Araujo

Colombia: Vargas (GK), Munoz, Sanchez, Cuesta, Mojica, Rios, Lerma, Arias, Rodriguez, Diaz, Cordoba

Uruguay is two wins away from a record-setting 16th Copa America title. Colombia is red hot, having gone 27 consecutive matches without a loss.

Something has to give Wednesday night when the two South American powers clash in the tournament’s semifinals at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The winner will face Lionel Messi and defending champion Argentina, which beat Canada 2-0 in the other semifinal, on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Uruguay’s Manuel Ugarte scored the winning goal in the fifth round of a 4-2 penalty kick victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals after the teams played to a scoreless draw Saturday night.

Read the full preview here:

Copa America 2024: Uruguay looks to slow down surging Colombia entering semifinals

Uruguay is two wins away from a record-setting 16th Copa America title. Colombia is red hot, having gone 27 consecutive matches without a loss.

With Argentina eagerly waiting to see who joins it in the final, it is Uruguay and Colombia are looking to continue their brilliant run in the Copa America 2024 and top it off with a ticket to the summit clash.