At 9:00 a.m. Beijing time on July 2, the final match of Group C of the group stage of Copa America 2024 took place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, between the United States of America and Uruguay. Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega was in charge of the match, and his every whistle tugged at the heartstrings of both the players and the crowd on the sidelines.
At the beginning of the first half, both sides showed a high level of athleticism, and the fast-paced transition between offense and defense was a sight to behold. However, the balance of the game was broken shortly after when Uruguay's midfielder Maximiliano Araujo was injured in a fierce fight and was forced to leave the field early, which undoubtedly posed a big challenge to Uruguay's tactical deployment. Nevertheless, Uruguay did not lose their footing and relied on their tenacious defense and quick counterattacks to threaten the US goal several times. Among them, Pellistri failed to capitalize on a great opportunity, making the Uruguayan fans on the sidelines regretful.
At the change of ends, neither side held back and went all out for the game. In the 65th minute, Uruguay's efforts were finally rewarded. In a corner kick, a Uruguayan player's shot was parried by the U.S. goalkeeper, but Matias Olivera reacted quickly with a precise follow-up shot to put the ball into the net, giving Uruguay a 1-0 lead! The goal instantly lit up the stadium, with Uruguayan players and fans cheering, while the United States had to face an even tougher situation.
In the following match, the U.S. team tried to save the game by strengthening their offense, but the Uruguayan team's defense was solid, and they successfully resisted the U.S. team's repeated attacks by virtue of their excellent teamwork and tacit understanding of the defense. Finally, with the referee's whistle, the match ended with Uruguay winning 1-0 against the USA, not only locking up the top spot in Group C with three wins in the group stage, but also mercilessly sending their opponents out of the knockout stage.
