Colombia and Argentina set up a huge Copa America Semi-Final

Colombia and Argentina qualify for the semi-final of the CONMEBOL Copa América 2021 with wins against Uruguay and Ecuador respectively.

Los Cafeteros and the Albiceleste will play the second semi-final on Tuesday at the Estadio Mané Garrincha in Brasilia. Brazil will play Perú in Río de Janeiro in the first tie of the round.

In the first game of the day, in Brasilia, Colombia secured progression against Uruguay 4-2 on penalties following a goalless draw after 90 minutes.

The game was even and end to end but neither side could find the net and some David Ospina penalty shootout heroics meant Colombia advance. The Napoli stopper saved two for Reinaldo Rueda‘s side who converted all four of their spot kicks.

NUMBERS FROM THE GAME

ï‚· This is the second time Uruguay and Colombia have played in the quarterfinal of the CONMEBOL Copa América and the second time the game has finished all square at the end of 90 minutes. The previous meeting came in 1993 when Colombia also won on penalties.

ï‚· Óscar Washington Tabárez’ Uruguay side has faced Colombia 13 times and only lost twice (7 wins, 4 draws). The defeats came in 2012 World Cup Qualifying (4-0) and the quarterfinal of the FIFA World Cup 2014 (2-0).

ï‚· This was the first goalless draw in 11 games between Colombia and Uruguay in the CONMEBOL Copa América.

ï‚· Uruguay had 6 shots in the second half and only 1 in the first half. Uruguay have averaged 8.8 shots in the second half of games at the CONMEBOL Copa América 2021 and this is the joint highest with Paraguay.

ï‚· Yerry Mina made 6 headed clearances against Uruguay, the second highest of any player in the current CONMEBOL Copa América (F. Sierralta, de Chile, hizo 9 ante Uruguay). Mina is the player who has made the most headed clearances in this year’s Copa America (14).

ï‚· David Ospina has now played 112 games for Colombia and is now the player with most caps for the Colombian national team, overtaking legendary midfielder Carlos «El Pibe» Valderrama (111). The goalkeeper made his debut in 2007 in a game that was also against Uruguay.

 – Argentina secure an emphatic win against Ecaudro-

Argentina were forced to work for it but ultimately secured an impressive 3-0 win against Ecuador at the Estadio Olí­mpico in Goiania to book their place in the Copa America semi-finals.

Rodrigo De Paul, Lautaro Martínez and Lionel Messi, the key man on the night, scored the goals to give Scaloni’s side the win.

NUMBERS FROM THE GAME

• Argentina has never lost against Ecuador at the Copa América in 16 games (11 wins, 5 draws). Argentina are also unbeaten against Chile (29 games) and Paraguay (26) over 90 minutes.

• Lionel Scaloni’s 18 game unbeaten run (11 wins, 7 draws) equals Marcelo Bielsa as the second longest in the history of the Argentine national team. Only Alfio Basile has a longer unbeaten run: 33 games between 1991 and 1993.

• Lionel Messi is the top scorer at the CONMEBOL Copa América (4) and has scored 2 direct freekicks for the first time in a single edition of the tournament.

• Lionel Messi has the most assists at the Copa America (4) and he set up two of Argentina’s goals tonigh. This is the first time he picked up 2 assists in a single game since Argentina’s 4-3 loss to France at the 2018 World Cup and the the first time he has set up goals in consecutive games since the 2016 Copa America.

• Argentina had 21 shots on goal against Ecuador which is the most attempts on goal in any game in the Lionel Scaloni era.