Brazil performed out an action-packed 1-1 draw with Colombia in California on Tuesday to arrange a mouth-watering Copa América quarter-final in opposition to Uruguay. The end result means Colombia completed prime of Group D on seven factors and can face Panama within the final eight.
Daniel Muñoz’s first-half strike for Colombia cancelled out a powerful early free kick from Brazil’s Raphinha. The end result prolonged Colombia’s unbeaten streak to 26 matches, although it did mark the top of their 10-match profitable run.
“It was a match all of us wished to play to measure ourselves in a great second for the staff,” Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo stated. “I believe we took one other step ahead right now. With Brazil you can not neglect the staff even for a second. The sensation is one in all satisfaction in opposition to a sophisticated opponent.”
Brazil defender Marquinhos conceded that the staff are usually not firing on all cylinders but. “We have now to be sincere with ourselves, we nonetheless have so much to develop, so much to enhance, particularly in these huge video games,” he stated.
The match between Colombia, unbeaten since March 2022, and five-time World Cup winners Brazil lived as much as its firecracker billing as the 2 sides tore into one another straight from the kickoff. In a frantic first quarter-hour at Levi’s Stadium, Vinicius Jr was proven a yellow card after by chance placing James Rodriguez whereas tussling over a unfastened ball, a reserving which guidelines the winger out of the Uruguay match.
Rodriguez went inside inches of scoring the opener as he clipped the crossbar from the ensuing free kick. However the Colombia veteran was upstaged within the twelfth minute by Raphinha, who whipped a elegant free kick of his personal into the highest nook to provide Brazil the lead.
Colombia thought that they had equalised when Davinson Sanchez headed dwelling Rodriguez’s harmful cross into the field however the purpose was disallowed for offside after a prolonged VAR verify. Brazil referred to as for a penalty within the forty second minute when Muñoz introduced down Vinicius within the field however replays confirmed the Colombia defender bought a contact on the ball.
Jhon Cordoba then discovered a pocket of area on the sting of the world and the Colombia striker performed an excellent by means of ball to Muñoz, who rifled his effort into the web to degree the scores in first-half stoppage time. Regardless of the searing California warmth neither aspect let the depth drop after the break and Raphinha got here near scoring from one other free kick within the 59th minute, firing simply extensive of the submit.
Colombia additionally had their possibilities to attain within the second half, the perfect of which fell to substitute Rafael Borre, who blazed a shot over the crossbar from shut vary. Colombia keeper Camilo Vargas needed to be sharp to maintain out Brazil substitute Andreas Pereira’s dipping long-range effort deep into stoppage time.
Costa Rica failed to maneuver into the quarter-finals after ending third within the group on 4 factors, one behind Brazil, even after two early objectives arrange a 2-1 victory over Paraguay of their remaining group match.
“This was a really robust group. We have been taking part in in opposition to Brazil and Colombia, two of the 4 favourites to win the Copa,” Costa Rica coach Gustavo Alfaro stated. “We had our strengths, our achievements and our errors, however we grew and we’re analysing the efficiency reasonably than the outcomes.”
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Costa Rica wanted outcomes to go their manner together with a giant swing in purpose distinction to qualify they usually wasted no time getting on the board when skipper Francisco Calvo and Josimar Alcocer made it 2-0 inside seven minutes. Calvo headed dwelling from the sting of the six-yard field within the third minute whereas 19-year-old Alcocer powered previous a number of gamers earlier than pulling the set off from effectively outdoors the field to beat the keeper.
Paraguay got here to life within the second half and Costa Rica’s hopes of qualifying dwindled 10 minutes after the restart when Ramon Sosa scored his first purpose for his nation. Costa Rica’s defence might do nothing as Mathias Villasanti dribbled into the field and arrange Sosa, who blasted the ball into the highest nook previous the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira.
Costa Rica practically conceded once more from a nook in added time, the ball deflecting off Fabian Balbuena’s head to Angel Romero however his shot didn’t make it previous the fingertips of Sequeira. It marked the primary time since 1925 that Paraguay had misplaced all of their group matches.
“It was a nasty match, a nasty efficiency,” Paraguay coach Daniel Garnero stated.
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