Colombia survived the second half with a numerical disadvantage and, thanks to another assist from James Rodríguez, reached the Copa América final after beating Uruguay 1-0.
The header scored by Jefferson Lerma in the 39th minute was enough to extend his streak of unbeaten matches to 29, a record in the history of the Colombian national team.
Colombia held on with 10 men after right-back Daniel Muñoz was sent off in first-half stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card.
The team led by Néstor Lorenzo will face defending champion Argentina and Lionel Messi in the title duel in Miami on Sunday.
“We are happy, what we did today I think is more than many could have imagined,” said James. “The team fought against everything and achieved it. We can rest and think about the final with Argentina. The country should enjoy what we put on the field,” said the Colombian “10.”
The players ended up pushing each other on the pitch after the whistle blew and several Uruguayan players, including Darwin Núñez, got into a fight with fans wearing the traditional yellow shirts.
“This is a disaster,” said Uruguayan center back Jose Maria Gimenez. “They attacked our entire family in a certain sector. Our families were in danger. We had to run to the stands to take out our loved ones with a tiny newborn baby.”
This will be only the second time Colombia has appeared in the continental tournament. They won the title on the only occasion they did so, as hosts in the 2001 edition, beating Mexico.
Colombia has not lost since February 1, 2022, when it fell 1-0 to Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers.— AP
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2024-07-27 16:27:57
