LAS VEGAS, Nevada, July 7, (Xinhua): Uruguay advanced to the Copa America semifinals by overcoming Brazil on penalties 4-2 (0-0) on Saturday.

Both teams began cautiously, while Uruguay looked more dangerous in attack with Darwin Nunez twice heading over the bar.
Brazil's teenage forward, Endrick Moreira, making his first start in this tournament, received some rough treatment from Mathias Olivera and Nahitan Nandez of Uruguay but kept his cool impressively. The 17-year-old, who will join Real Madrid later this month from Palmeiras, provided a spark for Brazil.

Raphael Dias had Brazil's best chance in the first half, forcing a smart save from Sergio Rochet after a dashing run and powerful shot on the counterattack.
Tempers frayed in the second half with a series of bruising tackles by both sides. The stop-start nature of the game made it difficult for either team to gain rhythm and momentum.

Uruguay were reduced to 10 men in the 74th minute after Nandez's initial yellow card was upgraded to red following a review by the video assistant referee of his studs-up challenge on Rodrygo Silva.
Brazil's numerical advantage didn't translate into dominance on the pitch as Uruguay defended resolutely with 10 men behind the ball, and they finished the 90 minutes 0-0.

With no extra time, the match went straight to penalties and Uruguay goalkeeper Rochet gave his side the perfect start by saving Eder Militao's opening attempt.
Douglas Luiz then missed Brazil's third spot kick before goalkeeper Alisson Becker gave his side a glimmer of hope by palming away Jose Gimenez's fourth shot for Uruguay, but Manuel Ugarte held his nerve by calmly firing into the top-right corner as Uruguay prevailed 4-2 in the shootout.

"We showed a lot of character despite our experience," Rochet said after the match. "Brazil is such a tough side to beat, and we were under a lot of pressure. We deserve this result, and now, we want more." Uruguay will meet Colombia in the semifinals on July 10.
James Rodriguez scored one goal and set up two others to help Colombia crush Panama 5-0 to enter the Copa America semifinals.

It took just eight minutes for Colombia to take the lead. Rodriguez's in-swinging corner found Jhon Cordoba, whose header beat goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera at his far post.
Referee Maurizio Mariani pointed to the penalty spot later when Mosquera tripped Jhon Arias as the winger drove into the box. Rodriguez gave Mosquera no chance by thumping the resultant spot-kick into the top-right corner.

Panama almost reduced the deficit in the 18th minute through Roderick Miller, whose header following Eric Davis' set piece rebounded off the post.
The Cafeteros made it 3-0 just before halftime through Luis Diaz. The Liverpool forward latched onto Rodriguez's perfectly weighted free kick from behind the halfway line and, with his first touch, deftly lifted a shot over Mosquera.

Panama sat further back after halftime as Colombia found it more difficult to create scoring opportunities.
Richard Rios of Colombia further extended the lead in the 70th minute with a low drive from outside the box, while his teammate Miguel Borja, a 79th-minute substitute for Cordoba, sealed the 5-0 win.
The Cafeteros are unbeaten in their past 27 outings dating back almost two and a half years. All but three of those games have been under the command of Argentine manager Nestor Lorenzo, who replaced Reinaldo Rueda in June 2022.
Colombia will face either Uruguay in Charlotte on July 10, with a place in the final at stake.