Hosts Argentina ousted by Uruguay
Reuters - Sunday 17 July 2011, 03:00
SANTA FE - Uruguay knocked hosts
Argentina out of the Copa America on Saturday after goalkeeper
Fernando Muslera saved Carlos Tevez's spot-kick to give his side
a 5-4 win on penalties.
Uruguay had taken an early lead through Diego Perez before
the midfielder was sent off seven minutes before half-time.
GEAR: £10 off Argentina shirts with Kitbag. Free delivery on orders over £50
Argentina equalised through Gonzalo Higuain and saw Javier
Mascherano red-carded shortly before the end of the 90 minutes.
The match produced no more goals in extra-time and finished 1-1.
Uruguay will now meet Peru in the semi-finals after they
beat Colombia 2-0 in Saturday's other quarter-final.
"Today we had to fight more than play... these are two
teams that came here to be champions, but this was only a
quarter-final and there's still along way to go," Uruguay's
captain Diego Lugano told reporters.
Argentina coach Sergio Batista told the post-match news
conference he was disappointed but thought the players had given
their all.
"I can't be content because no-one likes to be eliminated
but I'm satisfied with the players," he added.
Uruguay shocked the home side by taking the lead in the
sixth minute from a set-piece.
A free-kick by Diego Forlan, winning a record 80th Uruguay
cap, was headed back across goal by defender Martin Caceres and
Perez slid in to score.
The lead did not last long as Argentina equalised 11 minutes
later when Lionel Messi sent in a curling cross towards the far
post where Higuain ghosted in behind the defence to score with a
downward header.
Uruguay were reduced to 10 men in the 38th minute when
Perez, who had been booked for going in on Mascherano with his
studs showing, was shown another yellow card for obstruction.
MUSLERA SAVES
Despite being a man down, Uruguay looked just as dangerous
as Argentina with Forlan's free-kicks always a menace, although
the hosts did more of the attacking with Messi delivering plenty
of trademark passes into space for the forwards.
Argentina created a brilliant chance in the 79th minute when
Messi chipped over the defence to Higuain, who swivelled on the
spot and his rising shot was turned over for a corner by
Muslera.
At the other end, Luis Suarez put Forlan through into the
box but keeper Sergio Romero was quick to block.
As the 90 minutes ran down, Mascherano fouled Suarez and was
booked for the second time and sent off.
Muslera made another crucial intervention in the final
minute, first saving substitute Tevez's free-kick then blocking
Higuain's close-range effort from the rebound.
In added-time, Suarez turned a defender twice on the right
but his cross was just too high and Forlan headed over.
Higuain hit the near post with a shot from a tight angle
with Muslera beaten just before the end of the first half of
extra-time and Forlan went just wide with an effort right after
the team changed ends.