Colombia has reached the Copa America football final for the first time in 23 years, defeating Uruguay 1-0 in Charlotte, USA. Colombia secured the win and a spot in the final with a header from Jefferson Lerma in the 39th minute, setting up a meeting with Argentina, the reigning champions and world champions, who qualified by beating Canada 2-0. The final will take place on Sunday in Miami, where Colombia seeks to win its second title in history after 2001, when they defeated Mexico 1-0, following their first final loss in 1975 against Peru.
The match was chaotic in front of a packed crowd in North Carolina and ended with fights on the field and brawls in the stands, where players climbed among the fans amidst flying punches. Despite having their player Daniel Munoz sent off before halftime and facing significant pressure from Uruguay, Colombia maintained their lead until the end of the match, which saw 70,000 spectators at Bank of America Stadium, mostly supporting the winner.
Colombia extended their unbeaten streak to 28 matches, a record for the "Cafeteros" that surpassed the previous record from 1992 to 1994 during the days of Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincón. Uruguay's coach, Argentine Marcelo Bielsa, took responsibility for the loss despite having the numerical advantage, stating, “Uruguay was in a good position to win this match... I take special responsibility for not achieving superiority when we had the players capable of doing so.” In contrast, his counterpart Néstor Lorenzo said his team was rewarded for their positive approach in the match, asserting, “We advanced, took risks, and showed courage. After the numerical disadvantage, we kept two forwards... and this was a courageous step that we were rewarded for.”
Celebratory crowds filled the roads of North Carolina in yellow colors hours before kick-off. Colombia started strong through Liverpool player Luis Diaz, who found space on the left side, playing to Munoz on the far post, but the defender’s header missed the target. As usual, Uruguay threatened the opponent's goal with counterattacks, and their striker Darwin Nunez, also playing for Liverpool, came close to scoring when he received a clever pass from Rodrigo Bentancur, but his shot went wide.
Nunez had a second opportunity when Maximiliano Araújo provided him with a chance on the right side, but he rushed his shot. On the opposite side, veteran star James Rodriguez began supplying balls to his teammates, but John Córdoba's header missed the goal.
Lerma made the difference in the 39th minute, rising above José María Giménez and delivering a powerful header into the net from a corner taken by James. This was James’s sixth assist, breaking the record for the most assists in a single tournament previously held by Argentine Lionel Messi in 2021, a stat recognized since 2011.
Colombia gained momentum and Richard Rios attempted to score a second after a pass from Munoz, but his effort was stopped by Uruguay’s goalkeeper Sergio Rochet. After being impactful on the right flank in the first half, Munoz lost his composure before halftime, receiving a second yellow card for elbowing Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte. This crazy moment left Colombia in a tough spot defending their lead for an entire half.
Lorenzo substituted playmaker James, who also had a yellow card, in the 62nd minute, while Uruguay began to capitalize on their numerical advantage. Nicolás De La Cruz threatened with a ground shot, before veteran substitute Luis Suárez hit the outside of the post with a dangerous shot from the edge of the area, following a good play by Federico Valverde. Valverde then came close to goal, but his shot was blocked by the defense.
In stoppage time, a critical chance arose for Uruguay to force penalties when Nunez played to substitute Giorgian De Arrascaeta at the edge of the area, but his shot went over the bar.
After the victory, Colombia's coach stated, “The truth is that it was a very difficult match. Uruguay is an excellent team with excellent players and a coach I respect greatly." Regarding his red card player Munoz, he added, "Danny is a bit frustrated because he’s a lion, and he was overcome by emotion. I hugged him and told him: without you, we wouldn't be here." He further mentioned, “However, one issue we always talk about is not playing with a numerical disadvantage.”
On facing his country in the final, Lorenzo, a former assistant coach for the Argentine national team, said, “It will be very beautiful; I will compete against players I met throughout my career and respect greatly.” Disturbing scenes in the stands cast a shadow over the celebrations, raising concerns for organizers in CONMEBOL ahead of the final, which is expected to attract thousands of Argentinians and Colombians on Sunday. Meanwhile, Argentina hopes to break the last tie and win a record sixteenth title under the leadership of their veteran star Messi after eliminating Uruguay.
