Uruguay 0-0 Colombia (2-4 pens): David Ospina’s penalty heroics send Luis Suarez and Co crashing OUT of the Copa America… as former Arsenal man stops two spot-kicks in shoot-out
- Uruguay and Colombia faced-off in the Copa America quarter-finals on Saturday
- The sides were evenly matched and couldn’t find a breakthrough in normal time
- The match went to a shoot-out with David Ospina stopping the winning spot-kick
Colombia beat Uruguay 4-2 on penalties after a tense 0-0 draw in their Copa America quarter-final on Saturday to move into a last four.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina saved spot kicks from Jose Maria Gimenez and Matias Vina while Colombia scored their first four to progress following a nervy encounter in Brasilia.
Colombia, who have won this title only once back in 2001, will take on the winner of Saturday’s later quarter-final between Argentina and Ecuador. Hosts Brazil face Peru in the other semi-final.
David Ospina was the hero as Colombia advanced into the last-four of the Copa America
Colombia bagged all four of their penalties, with the former Arsenal stopper saving four
In a tense match, Uruguay had the first real chance after 42 minutes when Edinson Cavani was denied a shot on goal by a superb sliding tackle by Yerry Mina.
Fede Valverde tried to pick out the Manchester United star in the penalty area but Mina, the Everton defender, took the ball away from the veteran forward with a perfectly timed challenge.
Colombia also had a chance to take the lead before the break but Duvan Zapata’s shot was well-saved by Fernando Muslera in the Uruguay goal.
Luis Suarez and Co went crashing out after Jose Gimenez and Matias Vina’s shots were missed
Both halves were tightly matched with neither side managing to break through before full-time
Uruguay’s Nahitan Nandez and Zapata both came close to breaking the deadlock after the interval but neither could convert their chances as the game went straight to penalties.
Luis Suarez and Cavani both converted their spot kicks, as did Colombian quartet Zapata, Davinson Sanchez, Mina and Miguel Borjaut.
However, Ospina kept Gimenez and Vina out from 12 yards to secure Colombia’s place in the semi-finals.