The match between Uruguay and Chile ended in a 1-1 draw early Tuesday during the third round of Group A in the 2021 Copa America. Eduardo Vargas opened the scoring for Chile in the 26th minute, then Uruguay equalized with a ball that touched Arturo Vidal, who was being crowded by Luis Suarez (66). Chile secured a spot in the quarterfinals with five points (from three matches), while Uruguay earned its first point (from two matches) in the current Copa America edition.
The first half of the match was remarkable, with attacks exchanged from both sides, as significant physical, technical, and tactical battles ensued between the two teams. This period was relatively equal between "La Roja" and "La Celeste", but Chile exploited a blatant defensive mistake from Uruguay to allow Eduardo Vargas to score the only goal of this half in the 26th minute. It is worth noting that Vargas scored his second goal in the 2021 Copa America in this match after netting against Argentina in the first round.
On the other hand, the Uruguayan team faced a well-organized and strong defense, complicating their situation, alongside some missed opportunities thwarted by the outstanding goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. In the second half, the beginnings mirrored the story of the first period, as the Chilean team showcased good spread and controlled the events against the confusion of veteran coach Oscar Tabarez, who has been leading La Celeste since 2006. However, he attempted to play his available cards by bringing in Nahitan Nandez (46), Martin Caceres (46), and Facundo Torres (60), changing the dynamics for Edinson Cavani's teammates, and Uruguay began to threaten Bravo's net, equalizing in the 67th minute after the ball touched Arturo Vidal, who was challenged by his former Barcelona teammate Suarez.
In contrast, Chile's performance diminished with Vargas, Vidal, and Ben Brereton's exit from the field, yet they almost snatched a second goal through Luciano Ariagada. However, Uruguay performed well in the second period, coming close to securing a win with attempts from Cavani (84) and Suarez (95).
