Uruguay reached the semi-finals of Copa America by defeating Brazil 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw on Saturday. Despite being reduced to ten men when Nahitan Nandez was sent off in the 74th minute, Uruguay managed to hold on and secure their victory in the shootout. They will face Colombia in the semi-final in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday. Colombia advanced by thrashing Panama 5-0 in their quarter-final in Arizona.

The other semi-final, set to take place in New Jersey on Tuesday, will feature world champions Argentina against the surprising Canada.

The match between Uruguay and Brazil was a physical contest, marred by 41 fouls, a tournament high. The poor quality of the playing field also affected the quality of play. The best chance in the first half came in the 35th minute when Uruguay’s Darwin Nunez mis-timed a header. Brazil responded quickly with Raphinha breaking clear, but Uruguay's goalkeeper Sergio Rochet made a crucial save.

Uruguay, under Marcelo Bielsa, were relentless in midfield, disrupting Brazil's flow with frequent fouls. Brazil often resorted to long balls forward, but their strategy was ineffective with only 17-year-old Endrick, filling in for the suspended Vinicius Junior, as the central striker.

The match continued to be a rough affair, exacerbated by lenient refereeing. Uruguay’s defensive efforts suffered a setback when Nandez was sent off after a dangerous slide on Rodrygo. With no extra time in Copa America, Uruguay aimed to reach penalties and succeeded.

In the penalty shootout, Federico Valverde scored first for Uruguay, followed by Eder Militao's miss for Brazil, saved by Rochet. Douglas Luiz then hit the post, putting Brazil at a disadvantage. Although Jose Gimenez's effort was saved by Alisson Becker, Gabriel Martinelli scored to keep Brazil in contention. However, Manuel Ugarte's decisive kick sealed the victory for Uruguay, sending the 15-time Copa champions into the last four.