Uruguay fell short of making it to the final of the ongoing edition of Copa America as, despite a disallowed goal, Colombia won 1-0. However, the semi-final was marred by the ugly clash between the fans and the Uruguayan players, forward Darwin Nunez in particular, was at the forefront of it all.
Defender Nahitan Nandez was shown a red card in the 74th minute but Uruguay held off the Brazilian attack to take the game to extra 30 minutes and then to penalties. Real Madrid defender Eder Miliato and star midfielder Douglas Luiz missed penalties for Brazil.
Uruguay's football federation announced the appointment on Tuesday without making further comment.
Veteran winger Angel di Maria scored the only goal in the seventh minute with a powerful left-foot shot while Messi missed most of the match as he recovers from a left knee injury.
Messi also became the top scorer in South American football history. The 34-year-old has netted 79 for Argentina, overtaking Brazil's Pelé's tally of 77.
Edinson Cavani scored his 2nd goal at the Copa America and it turned crucial as the 1-0 win over Paraguay allowed his nation an early meet with Brazil in the knockout stages.
Edinson Cavani scored from the penalty spot in the 21st minute for the only goal of the match at the Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Uruguay will end its group stage campaign on Monday against Paraguay in a match that could decide which team faces defending champions and favorites Brazil in the quarterfinals.
The veteran striker's 66th-minute equaliser helped Uruguay to 1-1 draw against Chile at the Copa America in Cuiaba on Monday, their first point of the tournament.
Striker Guido Rodriguez scored the only goal at the Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasilia with a header in the 13th minute after Messi crossed from the left.
Argentina and Uruguay go into Friday's Copa America encounter with neither team having won in three games since November.
Godin posted a statement from the Uruguayan players’ union that said the English FA, not Cavani, has committed a “discriminatory and racist act” because the three-game suspension punishes “our whole culture, our way of life.”
The Uruguayan Football Federation (AUF) has laid off 400 members of its staff, including men's first-team coach Oscar Tabarez, who has led the side since 2006 and won a Copa America title with them.
Uruguay eased past 10-man Ecuador in their opening game of 2019 Copa America with a 4-0 victory.
In a one-sided affair, the Frenchmen cruised forward as they book their place in the semifinals after defender Varane and striker Griezmann helped Les Blues crush a depleted Uruguay 2-0.
At both his previous tournaments, the Uruguay striker hasn't just left disappointed, he's left in disgrace, labelled a cheat in one and the world's dirtiest player in the other.
The Uruguay vs. France game will be refereed by Nestor Pitana of Argentina on Friday in Nizhny Novgorod.
Uruguay won its group with shutout victories in its first three games. Portugal's path to second place in its group was more tenuous.
While many fans look at the encounter as Real Madrid's Ronaldo vs FC Barcelona's Luis Suarez, this the first time it will happen on the biggest stage in soccer and with a spot in the quarterfinals at stake.
On Monday against Russia, Suarez scored from a free kick with a low shot that sailed past Russia's wall while Cavani pounced on a loose ball after the goalkeeper parried it from a header by Diego Godin.
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