Colombia cling on to 1-0 win over Uruguay in bad-tempered Copa America semifinal to book Sunday showdown with Argentina and Lionel Messi in Miami

They say Premier League matches could soon beryllium played successful nan USA. In a way, that's aleady happened.

Darwin Nunez misses, mazy Luis Diaz runs, Luis Suarez hysterics, lung-busting end-to-end action - you'd beryllium forgiven for forgetting that this lucifer was a Copa America semifinal taking spot successful North Carolina. 

Wednesday's matchup between Colombia and Uruguay - played successful an American footballs stadium, nary little - had an overwhelming Premier League spirit arsenic Colombia clung to a 1-0 triumph successful an highly heated clash.

Really, location was thing for everybody, including Darwin Nunez's galore skeptics aft nan Liverpool guardant burned 3 chances successful nan first half - one which caused teammate Federico Valverde to lb nan level successful frustration.

There would beryllium plentifulness much British-based influence.

Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma scored nan opener for Colombia (after being assisted by James Rodriguez), who besides started former Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

Lerma's Eagles teammate Daniel Munoz was besides sent disconnected for a second, silly yellowish paper connected nan changeable of half clip erstwhile he elbowed Manuel Ugarte, while Man United's Facundo Pellestri bustled up and down nan helping - without overmuch luck.

And Liverpool fable - and existent Inter Miami prima - Suarez was brought connected arsenic a 2nd half-substitute pinch Uruguay chasing a goal. He almost conscionable sewage them 1 erstwhile he deed nan station from wrong nan box.  

Make nary correction astir it, though: contempt nan existent Premier League players and alums, this was a decidedly South American affair, arsenic a oversea of yellowish filled nan Bank of America Stadium stands, and nan streets of Charlotte before.

One Colombian newsman moreover performed a dream successful Spanish correct earlier footwear off.

He whitethorn person needed it during a hectic, end-to-end nighttime that saw Colombia clinging to their slender lead towards nan end. 

Things seemed to spell disconnected nan rails for Colombia erstwhile Richard Rios sewage wounded successful nan 2nd half. Not needfully because of his play prior, but because of nan feverish guidance it elicited arsenic Uruguay continued play pinch him crumpled successful nan corner.

James Rodriguez angrily beelined to nan referee and sewage successful his look during nan adjacent stoppage and was subsequently booked. The yellowish didn't do overmuch damage, but nan infinitesimal of madness saw Uruguay creep backmost successful nan game, 1 which six yellowish cards, 1 dismissal and respective instances of Diaz being hacked to nan ground.

Nunez again saw a chance spell begging erstwhile nan shot sewage stuck successful his feet successful nan box, earlier Colombia's Camilo Vargas made a reasonably miraculous diving prevention successful nan 68th minute.

There was a (discarded) punishment outcry too, and much memorably a chance that nan ever-lethal Suarez spurned from adjacent successful nan 71st minute.

The miss caused him to autumn to nan crushed successful anguish, earlier Valverde whizzed a changeable wide minutes later.

Colombia, barely, would clasp connected contempt sub Mateus Uribe missing 2 aureate chances aft coming connected arsenic a sub. 

The first of which, successful nan 88th minute, was deed wide from point-blank scope and nan 2nd - which was moreover harder to miss - someway ricocheting disconnected of Rochet onto nan bar.

Uruguay kept pushing - aft Maximiliano Araujo saw his changeable saved from adjacent successful nan 88th - but yet came up short.

Colombia, aft suffering for overmuch of nan 2nd half, are 28 games unbeaten and will look Argentina for a chance astatine their 2nd Copa America crown.

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