Copa America Quarter Final Review

The Copa America was blown wide open this weekend by a staggering series of results that left all three group winners and the two traditional giants of South American football by the wayside. These four results are further evidence of the strength in depth of South American football, which was notable in last years World Cup Milwaukee Brewers Custom Jersey in South Africa when 4 South American sides made the Quarter Final stage. The story of the weekend has been that of stout, disciplined defending winning out against some of the biggest names in the game.Colombia 0-2 Peru (a.e.t)Uruguayan Sergio Markarian masterminded an improbable Peruvian victory over a Colombian side that looked to be cruising in the group stage. The key moments of the first 90 minutes were an off-target Radamel Falcao penalty, after Alberto Rodriguez was harshly ajudged to have felled Dayro Moreno, and a Fredy Guarin effort after a weaving run which was pushed onto the bar by the Peruvian keeper Fernandez in the dying minutes. Other than that, Peru defended with admirable discipline, almost scoring themselves from an Adan Balbin 25-yarder and fully deserved to take the tie to extra-time.Having threatened on few occasions during the 90 minutes there was an element of surprise when in extra time, Peru made the crucial breakthrough when Colombia keeper Martinez spilled the ball at the feet of Lobaton, who gleefully lashed home the oponer. As Colombia desperately looked for the equaliser to take the tie to penalties, Vargas was put in the clear by the excellent Pablo Guerrero, to put away any chance of a Colombia comeback and leaving to rue their best opportunity to win the trophy since their triumph on home-soil in 2001.Argentina 1-1 Uruguay (Uruguay win 5-4 on penalties)Argentinian hopes were dashed in a fiery River Plate derby with neighbours Uruguay. The visitors took the lead with more or le s their first attack after Argentina failed to defend a basic set piece floated in from near halfway by Diego Forlan. Keeper Romero managed to parry the first effort but Perez was on hand to give Uruguay the lead.After this, Argentina toiled against rugged but strategically sound Uruguayan defending, with Me si in particular coming in for some tough treatment from a typically tough Uruguayan side.On 17 minutes Me si floated a inviting ball into the path of Gonzalo Higuain who duly Milwaukee Brewers Hoodie headed the hosts level.Unsurprisingly late in the first half Diego Perez was dismi sed for a second yellow (first Lorenzo Cain Jersey for a studs high challenge on Mascherano), as much for persistent fouling as anything else, though in fairne s Gonzalo Higuain did his utmost to make sure the Uruguayan left the field by heavily exaggerating the Uruguayans bodycheck going to ground extremely easily.The sending-off, as often the case, set the tempo for the rest of the match, dictating that the Uruguayans defend the 1-1 scoreline, and to some degree strengthening their resolve, as the clich goes. Owing to heroic defending and magnificent saves from Uruguay keeper Muslera particularly from Higuain and once from Tevez, Argentina were unable to score the all-important goal, and eventually lost a man themselves, when serial yellow-card offender Mascheranos luck ran out, being harshly dismi sed with three minutes on the clock. At the other end Romero blocked Forlan after a clever lay off by Luis Suarez.Thirty minutes more never looked like separating the two sides, and by the time it went to penalties, Argentina must have felt a beaten team psychologically, having failed to break down the resolute Uruguayans, and Tevezs blasted effort was parried by Muslera to trigger wild celebrations from the Uruguayans.Brazil 0-0 Paraguay (Paraguay win 2-0 on penalties)Following on from an entertaining 2-2 draw in the group stage, Brazil and Paraguay always looked like providing a fairly close game in their Quarter Final. Unfortunately this time, it never looked like producing four goals.Paraguays half time statistic of 0 efforts on goal and 14 fouls said it all, as the Guarani dug their heels in to avoid defeat at all costs. Neymar, normally a serial complainant, took the Paraguayan punishment with good grace, but was effectively neutralised, Pato mi sed a couple of guilt-edged chances, one from point-blank range, both blocked heroically by inspired Paraguayan keeper Justo Villar.In a game of few opportunities it was hardly surprising when the final whistle signalled another penalty shoot-out. The sting in the tail was to follow when the worlds Stephen Vogt Jersey most emblematic football team failed to net even one of their penalties (Elano, Thiago Silva, Andre Santos and Fred the respective culprits), allowing Paraguay a 2-0 shoot-out victory and setting up a semi-final with the victors of the Chile-Venezuela game.Chile 1-2 VenezuelaVenezuela proved that their undefeated qualification from the group stage was no fluke, making history by advancing to the Semi-Finals of the Copa America.They took the lead with yet another set-piece that was well-rehearsed and executed from an attacking point of view, but utterly amateurish from a defensive point of view. Oswaldo Viscarrondo leapt to head home Juan Arangos pinpoint delivery, and the touchpaper was lit for yet another shock.Alexis Sanchez, one of the most exciting Ryan Braun Jersey players of the tournament, toiled to get Chile back in contention with one or two sparks of genius, but like Neymar and Me si in earlier games, met with a wall of defenders and was unable to take them on alone.Eventually midway through the second half Chile got the breakthrough they had been looking for when Humberto Suazo thumped in off the bar, after good work from the much-lauded Sanchez.Venezuelan heads, however, as in the Paraguay game when they fought back from 2-0 down, simply would not go down, and nine minutes from time Cichero converted a close-range effort to set up a fascinating Semi-Final showdown with Paraguay.
 
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