Guido Rodríguez scored a first-half goal, his first in 11 international matches, leading Argentina to a 1-0 victory over Uruguay in the Copa América last night. Uruguay has not beaten Argentina in the Copa América since 1989 and fell behind early with a header from Rodríguez.
The Real Betis midfielder started in the lineup for the first time since June 2019 and rewarded his coach by directing a cross from Lionel Messi into the net with a header just ten minutes into the match. This goal secured the win for Argentina, while Uruguay began their campaign in the tournament with a loss.
The match lacked excitement, and Uruguay sits at the bottom of Group A with no points, joining Bolivia, which has lost two matches so far. Argentina moved to the top of the group, tied with Chile, which won 1-0 against Bolivia. Paraguay has three points from one match.
Edinson Cavani returned to the Uruguayan squad after missing the last two matches due to suspension. The referee ignored the Manchester United forward's appeal for a penalty in the 26th minute. It was a disappointing night for Uruguay as they failed to register a shot on target despite having possession of the ball.
Messi posed a threat to Uruguay but was marked by several players in the attacking third. Argentina extended its unbeaten streak to 15 matches since losing in the Copa América semifinals in 2019. Argentina will face Paraguay on Monday, while Uruguay will play against Chile on the same day.
