Ten-man Colombia held agency as they edged previous Uruguay 1-0 to e-book their place within the Copa America ultimate.
The in-form staff regarded as much as their ordinary methods as Jefferson Lerma scored the winner within the first half, however they needed to work arduous to maintain their spectacular unbeaten streak alive.
Daniel Munoz’s sending off on the stroke of half-time put Colombia below strain, however they thrived below it, nullifying Uruguay’s late makes an attempt to salvage a end in North Carolina.
Chasing simply their second-ever Copa America title, Los Cafeteros will play defending champions Argentina within the ultimate on Sunday.
The match’s highest scorers began brightly, with Munoz thumping a robust header simply extensive of Sergio Rochet’s put up for Colombia.
Nonetheless, the tide quickly turned, and Darwin Nunez arguably ought to have had a first-half hat-trick as he missed a flurry of golden possibilities.
Twice he fired extensive of Camilo Vargas’ proper put up, sending the goalkeeper scrambling with the primary because it flew inches extensive, earlier than lifting a 3rd simply over the crossbar from the sting of the field.
Colombia quickly confirmed their menace from set-pieces although, with Lerma rising excessive to nod in a nook from James Rodriguez, who acquired his record-breaking sixth help of the match.
Munoz acquired his marching orders shortly after, having acquired a primary reserving for a sliding deal with on Maximiliano Araujo, he then foolishly elbowed Manuel Ugarte within the chest, leaving the referee no selection however to ship him off.
Luis Suarez was given 25 minutes to make an impression within the second half and was inches away from doing so – unmarked on the sting of the field, he rattled the put up after placing his laces via a robust shot.
Moments later, Federico Valverde sneakily tried to beat Vargas with a low strike into the bottom-left nook, however might solely drill it extensive of the goal.
Kevin Castano had two superb possibilities to safe the victory for Colombia within the dying minutes; he fired extensive with the primary, however was unfortunate with the second as an enormous save by Rochet despatched his effort onto the crossbar.
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