They are saying Premier League matches may quickly be performed within the USA. In a means, that is aleady occurred.
Darwin Nunez misses, mazy Luis Diaz runs, Luis Suarez hysterics, lung-busting end-to-end motion – you would be forgiven for forgetting that this match was a Copa America semifinal going down in North Carolina.
Wednesday’s matchup between Colombia and Uruguay – performed in an American footballs stadium, no much less – had an amazing Premier League taste as Colombia clung to a 1-0 win in an especially heated conflict.
Actually, there was one thing for everyone, together with Darwin Nunez’s many skeptics after the Liverpool ahead burned three probabilities within the first half – one which induced teammate Federico Valverde to pound the ground in frustration.
There could be a lot extra British-based affect.
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez had a brutal night time as he missed a number of nice probabilities to attain
Crystal Palace’s Jefferson Lerma notched the lone aim for Cololmbia, who are actually within the Copa America finals
Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma scored the opener for Colombia (after being assisted by James Rodriguez), who additionally began former Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.
Lerma’s Eagles teammate Daniel Munoz was additionally despatched off for a second, foolish yellow card on the stroke of half time when he elbowed Manuel Ugarte, whereas Man United’s Facundo Pellestri bustled up and down the wing – with out a lot luck.
And Liverpool legend – and present Inter Miami star – Suarez was introduced on as a second half-substitute with Uruguay chasing a aim. He nearly simply received them one when he hit the submit from contained in the field.
Make no mistake about it, although: regardless of the present Premier League gamers and alums, this was a decidedly South American affair, as a sea of yellow stuffed the Financial institution of America Stadium stands, and the streets of Charlotte earlier than.
One Colombian reporter even carried out a prayer in Spanish proper earlier than kick off.
He might have wanted it throughout a busy, end-to-end night time that noticed Colombia clinging to their slender lead in the direction of the tip.
Issues appeared to go off the rails for Colombia when Richard Rios received harm within the second half. Not essentially due to his play prior, however due to the feverish response it elicited as Uruguay continued play with him crumpled within the nook.
James Rodriguez angrily beelined to the referee and received in his face through the subsequent stoppage and was subsequently booked. The yellow did not do a lot harm, however the second of insanity noticed Uruguay creep again within the recreation, one which six yellow playing cards, one dismissal and several other situations of Diaz being hacked to the bottom.
Nunez once more noticed an opportunity go begging when the ball received caught in his ft within the field, earlier than Colombia’s Camilo Vargas made a reasonably miraculous diving save within the 68th minute.
There was a (discarded) penalty shout too, and extra memorably an opportunity that the ever-lethal Suarez spurned from shut within the 71st minute.
The miss induced him to fall to the bottom in anguish, earlier than Valverde whizzed a shot broad minutes later.
Colombia, barely, would maintain on regardless of sub Mateus Uribe lacking two golden probabilities after approaching as a sub.
The primary of which, within the 88th minute, was hit broad from point-blank vary and the second – which was even more durable to overlook – one way or the other ricocheting off of Rochet onto the bar.
Uruguay stored pushing – after Maximiliano Araujo noticed his shot saved from shut within the 88th – however finally got here up brief.
Colombia, after struggling for a lot of the second half, are 28 video games unbeaten and can face Argentina for an opportunity at their second Copa America crown.
Will probably be a tough pillow to swallow for Nunez, who flubbed his strains on a number of events for Uruguay.
His nightmarish night time started together with his first miss within the seventeenth minute, when Valverde received the ball in the course of the sphere, drove ahead and squeezed it to his teammate earlier than he shot left with a transparent look on aim.
5 minutes later, he spurned an opportunity from the fitting facet of aim (assume a bit of nearer than Ollie Watkins’ aim for England earlier within the night time), earlier than blazing over in within the twenty eighth with Valverde open to the fitting of him.
It was then that the Actual Madrid man’s frustrations boiled over, and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Colombia made their opponents pay for the wastefulness.
Palace’s Lerma headed in a nook from Rodriguez within the fortieth minute, whereas Rios practically made it two proper earlier than halftime, when his shut shot was thwarted by Sergio Rochet.
It was a relaxed and much-needed second from the goalie, who had earlier badly sliced a clearance and was practically caught napping in possession by Jhon Cordoba.
That script turned within the second half as Colombia’s aim got here beneath hearth – however they will now see Lionel Messi and co. this weekend.
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