That concludes our commentary of the Copa America fixture between Argentina and Uruguay! We hope you enjoyed it!
Argentina are in action again on June 21, when they play Paraguay. Uruguay will be looking for their first win the same day with Chile their opponents.
A Guido Rodriguez header in the 13th minute was all that separated the two sides, as Argentina emerge with a 1-0 victory over Uruguay. A limp first-half display from Tabarez’s side was met by improvements in the second period, but Cavani and Suarez were isolated figures as the midfield failed to turn defence into attack with incision. Argentina sat deeper and deeper as the match wore on looking to hold onto their lead, while hitting on the counter-attack through an ever-involved Messi. It certainly wasn’t a vintage performance from the Albiceleste, but the three points is enough to take them level with Chile at the top of the group.
90′ + 5′ FULL-TIME: ARGENTINA 1-0 URUGUAY.
90′ + 3′ A defender is sent on for a midfielder as Scaloni replaces De Paul with Pezzella in a move to hold their lead.
90′ + 3′ Five minutes will be added on to the end of the 90 for stoppages.
J. Correa
Yellow Card
90′ + 1′ Correa runs into Vecino clumsily and bowls the midfielder over – earning himself a yellow card.
B. Ocampo
Yellow Card
90′ Ocampo leaves his leg outstretched and sends De Paul to the ground holding his shin. It’s a yellow card for the young winger.
88′ Torres prevents a counter-attack by charging into the rampaging Palacios, sending him to the turf in front of the technical area. It’s a free-kick for Argentina, who only have two more minutes to hold on.
86′ This is the 32nd meeting between these two sides in the Copa America, with Argentina winning 14 of those encounters and Uruguay trailing by one with 13.
F. Gorriarán
F. Valverde
84′ Gorriaran takes the place of the injured Valverde with seven minutes to go in the match.
83′ The referee calls play to a half as Valverde pulls up limping. It may be a spot of cramp for the Real Madrid midfielder, who will be substituted shortly.
82′ Messi drives the free-kick low, but it smacks off the wall and holds up for Cavani, who is allowed to whack it away from danger.
80′ Messi wriggles through four Uruguay defenders before being taken down on the edge of the area by Godin. It’s a free-kick for Argentina, who have a real chance to double their advantage.
79′ Di Maria takes a corner-kick from the left looking for Otamendi, who can only pop a header up high into the sky, allowing Muslera to get underneath it to punch it away.
77′ Uruguay have failed to score against Argentina in three of their last four meetings.
E. Martínez
Yellow Card
75′ Emiliano Martinez is shown a booking for wasting time with 15 minutes to go, as Argentina look to see out the result.
75′ Suarez attempts a spectacular bicycle-kick from the edge of the penalty area, which is sent narrowly over Emiliano Martinez’s goalkeeper.
74′ The short free-kick to Messi doesn’t pose any threat to Uruguay, who are able to put the ball out for a throw through Ocampo almost immediately.
73′ Ocampo presses too eagerly and takes down De Paul, who wins his side a free-kick right next to the right corner flag.
72′ Uruguay are doing much better holding onto the ball and shifting it from right to left as Argentina sit deeper and deeper to repel the danger. Despite Tabarez’s side managing precious little in the match, a 1-0 is not quite enough you’d feel. With Cavani and Suarez in attack, a goal is never too far away.
F. Torres
G. González
70′ Giovanni Gonzalez makes way for Uruguay, with Torres sent on to provide a spark.
Á. Di María
N. González
70′ Nicolas Gonzalez is called to the bench in favour of Di Maria, who will see out the final 20 minutes.
69′ Vina whips in a dangerous delivery from the left, which manages to miss both the head of Cavani and the outstretched foot of Suarez at the far post!
67′ Ocampo plays his club football for Nacional of Uruguay, where he has made 56 appearances, scoring four goals in that time. He’ll certainly be looking to impress the coach in his first appearance for the side.
B. Ocampo
N. De La Cruz
65′ De La Cruz makes way for Ocampo, who is making his international debut at the senior level.
M. Vecino
L. Torreira
64′ The booked Torreira is replaced just after the hour, with Vecino the man sent on in his position.
L. Torreira
Yellow Card
62′ Torreira arrives at the ball late and goes through the back of Palacios, earning himself a yellow card in the process.
61′ De Paul’s corner-kick from the other side is hit in search of Nicolas Gonzalez, but Muslera’s confident catch relieves the pressure.
60′ Messi takes a corner to the edge of the six-yard box, but Gimenez gets to it first to put it behind for a redo.
58′ Messi looks to press the man in possession as Uruguay keep it in their own half, but Godin uses his experience to wedge himself between the Argentina captain and the ball, winning himself a free-kick to push his side upfield.
56′ Suarez takes a whack to the back of the head by Otamendi’s swinging elbow – giving Uruguay a free-kick deep in midfield.
54′ Suarez (55) and Cavani (46) are Uruguay’s two most prolific goalscorers in history, with Diego Forlan third (36).
J. Correa
Lautaro Martínez
52′ Correa is sent on for an ineffective Lautaro Martinez in Scaloni’s second change.
E. Palacios
G. Lo Celso
52′ Argentina make two changes at once to freshen things up. The first alteration sees the booked Lo Celso replaced by Palacios.
50′ CHANCE! A dangerous cross is whipped in from the right by Valverde, but De La Cruz is unable to reach it with an extended leg as a diving Emiliano Martinez makes the stop at the foot of the midfielder.
G. Lo Celso
Yellow Card
48′ The first yellow card of the match is shown to Lo Celso for a sliding challenge that catches Torreira from behind.
46′ Uruguay get the match restarted from the kick-off!
N. Nández
R. Bentancur
46′ A change in midfield at half-time sees Cagliari’s Nandez in for Bentancur.
Substitutions will no doubt play a part in the second half, with Uruguay potentially needing a spark off the bench to get back into the match. Nandez and Vecino are reliable midfielders who can help progress the play, but it looks as though the creativity of De Arrascaeta will be a requirement. As for Argentina, they will no doubt seek to exploit the spaces left behind as their opponents pile forward in an attempt to score, with a host of options to freshen things up including Palacios, Correa and Di Maria.
Argentina take a 1-0 lead into the half-time interval, as Guido Rodriguez’s far-post header from a Messi cross remains the only difference in the match. Scaloni’s side looked the better to start the match, exposing the opposition’s flanks with pace via Acuna and Nicolas Gonzalez, while Messi is always a threat with the ball at his feet. Uruguay do have cause to feel hard done by after referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio denied Cavani a penalty after seemingly being sent to ground by a Rodriguez challenge, but the truth is Tabarez’s men haven’t done enough to disrupt Emiliano Martinez’s clean sheet.
45′ + 3′ HALF-TIME: ARGENTINA 1-0 URUGUAY.
45′ + 2′ Argentina work another corner short between De Paul and Messi, however this time the ball is sprayed to the far side for Acuna. The full-back puts a cross into the penalty area towards Romero but Godin gets there first.
45′ The fourth official indicates three minutes will be added for stoppages.
43′ De La Cruz puts the set-piece into the penalty area looking for Suarez, who takes a tumble during the delivery. The ball is cleared but only to the edge of the 18-yard box for Bentancur, who smashes a low shot well-wide of the target.
41′ Cavani wins a free-kick on the left after drawing a challenge from Romero, who went through the back of the striker in an attempt to get to the ball first.
39′ Uruguay (15) and Argentina (14) represent the two most successful teams in the Copa America, with Brazil five behind with nine.
37′ Valverde receives a pass down the left and fires a low cross into the penalty area but the delivery is a half-step behind the run of Cavani, allowing Otamendi to come across and make the clearance.
35′ Gimenez looks uncomfortable as he lumbers forward to play a pass after receiving Muslera’s goal-kick. The Atletico Madrid centre-back is limping quite a bit, which has prompted Tabarez to call Coates to warm up.
33′ A high cross from the left is put into the penalty area by Vina, but the delivery falls favourably for Emiliano Martinez, who plucks it out of the sky without too much pressure.
31′ Trouble for Uruguay as Gimenez has gone down holding his leg. He appears willing to continue but needed a couple of moments to get back to his feet. It would be a real blow to Tabarez’s side should he have to go off.
29′ No VAR check as the match official is happy to allow proceedings to continue, with Argentina earning a corner-kick after a counter-attack ends in a Muslera save following the action at the other end.
27′ Uruguay are furious as Cavani gets into the penalty area and goes down under a heavy challenge from Rodriguez, who looks to have taken the legs out from underneath the striker. The referee calls for play to continue but it looks a nailed-on penalty.
25′ Uruguay have failed to test Emiliano Martinez at all as we approach the 30-minute mark, with the Argentina goalkeeper having little to do aside from pick out Suarez’s cross for Cavani. They’ll have to do better if they wish to equalise.
23′ Messi puts the ball to the edge of the penalty area for Lo Celso, but Gimenez comes across with a well-timed tackle to win the ball back for Uruguay.
21′ Argentina-Uruguay is the oldest rivalry in South America, with 194 official meetings between the two countries. The Albiceleste lead the way with 89 victories, to Uruguay’s 59.
19′ Suarez plays an early cross into the penalty area looking for Cavani, but Emiliano Martinez steps off his line and claims the ball first.
17′ Argentina have started very well as they look to win back-to-back games at the Copa America to start the tournament. Nicolas Gonzalez and Acuna are constantly allowed to charge down the right freely, while the link-up play between De Paul and Messi has been tremendously effective.
15′ De La Cruz puts an Argentina corner into the penalty area looking to get his side level, but Nicolas Gonzalez does his defensive work and puts the ball out of his 18-yard box with a powerful clearing header.
L. Messi
Assist
13′ Again Messi is the inspiration behind an Argentina goal – putting a wonderful cross to the back post for his team-mate to attack.
G. Rodríguez
Goal
13′ WHAT A GOAL! ARGENTINA LEAD 1-0! De Paul works a corner-kick short to Messi, who beats his man and fires a cross towards the far post. Rodriguez gets the better of Bentancur and manages to put his header off of the post and in!
10′ Messi and De Paul work a free-kick short, allowing the latter to curl the ball into the far post from a better angle. The header is a good one from Romero, but the goalkeeper dives well to catch the attempt.
8′ GREAT CHANCE! Messi cuts inside on the edge of the 18-yard box in traditional style and fires a left-footed curler which is parried by a diving Muslera. The ball pops up a fraction behind Martinez, who can only get his heel to it – steering it towards the touchline.
6′ A blind Cavani pass in midfield is intercepted by De Paul, who pushes the ball forward immediately for Messi, who is pushed over on the flank by De La Cruz – giving Argentina a free-kick which is taken quickly and short.
4′ Acuna has a sight at goal from outside the penalty area and whacks a speculative effort towards the keeper, but it’s a simple catch for Muslera.
3′ Nicolas Gonzalez bursts through the midfield and shifts the ball to his left for Martinez, who is unable to get a shot away as Gimenez and Giovanni Gonzalez combine to close down the space.
1′ Argentina get the match underway from the kick-off!
Uruguay name an experienced line-up in their first match of the Copa America, with all the heavy hitters present. Muslera is the man trusted between the posts, while a back four of Giovanni Gonzalez, Gimenez, Godin and Vina will look to protect him. The four in midfield sees Real Madrid’s Valverde, Juventus’ Bentancur and Atletico Madrid’s Torreira all start along with De La Cruz, who plays in Argentina with River Plate. The two up top comes as no surprise, as Suarez and Cavani continue their historic partnership.
Argentina make four changes from the XI that drew 1-1 with Chile in their opening fixture. Montiel, Martinez and Tagliafico are replaced by Acuna, Romero and Molina respectively in defence, while Rodriguez slots into midfield ahead of Paredes.
URUGUAY SUBS: Brian Ocampo, Matias Vecino, Nahitan Nandez, Fernando Gorriaran, Ronald Araujo, Jonathan Rodriguez, Sergio Rochet, Sebastian Coates, Martin Campana, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Facundo Torres, Martin Caceres.
URUGUAY XI (4-4-2): Fernando Muslera; Giovanni Gonzalez, Jose Gimenez, Diego Godin, Matias Vina; Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Torreira, Nicolas De La Cruz; Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani.
ARGENTINA SUBS: Nicolas Tagliafico, Exequiel Palacios, Angel Di Maria, German Pezzella, Gonzalo Montiel, Alejandro Gomez, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Sergio Aguero, Juan Musso, Leandro Paredes, Joaquin Correa, Franco Armani.
ARGENTINA XI (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez; Marcos Acuna, Nicolas Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Nahuel Molina; Giovani Lo Celso, Guido Rodriguez, Rodrigo De Paul; Nicolas Gonzalez, Lautaro Martinez, Lionel Messi.
With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let’s take a look at how the two sides are lining up – starting with Argentina.
Uruguay – the most successful team in Copa America history with 15 titles – will look to start their 2021 campaign off on the right foot, though Argentina will be no easy test. Oscar Tabarez’s side have failed to beat Argentina in their last four meetings, with their last victory coming in World Cup qualifying in 2013.
The oldest international derby in South America takes centre stage once again as Lionel Messi’s Argentina look to arrest a run of three straight draws, including a 1-1 result in their opening Copa fixture against Chile. Lionel Scaloni’s side have gone 14 matches without defeat, since a 2-0 defeat to rivals Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semi-finals.
Good evening and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the Copa America fixture between Argentina and Uruguay!
G. Pezzella
R. De Paul