Uruguay and Colombia will square off in Charlotte, NC on Wednesday as they battle in the 2024 Copa America semifinals.
Only one of these two most in-form South American nations will have the chance to make their case for the trophy come the final on Sunday.
Colombia are in the midst of an incredible 27-match unbeaten streak, the longest in the nation’s history, which dates back to early 2022. After failing to qualify for the last World Cup in Qatar, Los Cafeteros have embarked on a remarkable turnaround, led by head coach Nestor Lorenzo, who has yet to lose while at the helm.
Uruguay, meanwhile, have reached this stage under Marcelo Bielsa thanks to a mix of brilliant football and tenacious physicality. La Celeste walloped Bolivia and Panama in the group stage with a free-flowing, attacking onslaught before using more brute force against the United States and Brazil.
These two teams match up extremely well in what should be a gripping semifinal, and as the odds indicate, it’s wide open for the taking.
That said, Colombia are the more in-form team. After watching Marcelo Bielsa disappointingly deploy an ugly, foul-heavy tactical setup in their match against Brazil, it is hard to back that style of play to progress further into the competition. Uruguay possess an extremely talented side, which could have taken the game to Brazil, but instead Bielsa unveiled a negative approach more fitting of a massive underdog.
It worked, in theory, as they’re still alive in the semifinals, but it should be no match for a Colombia side which is simply more cohesive and better equipped to handle any dark arts from Bielsa’s squad. They also have the best player of the tournament so far in James Rodriguez, who will look to put his stamp on the game.
BetMGM (USA) |
|
Uruguay win (90 mins) | +185 |
Draw (90 mins) | +188 |
Colombia win (90 mins) | +180 |
Both teams to score |
Y: +105 N: -150 |
Over / Under 2.5 goals |
O: +150 U: -210 |
Colombia to advance |
-115 |
Uruguay to advance |
-110 |
While Colombia don’t often rack up a high volume of shots, they are one of the world’s most efficient sides at putting efforts on target. Los Cafeteros don’t need a significant attacking onslaught to find the back of the net, instead picking their spots using expert precision to put high-quality efforts on goal.
Their quarterfinal 5-0 win over Panama is a perfect example, as Colombia scored five goals from five shots on target and just seven total shots in all, a ruthlessly efficient outcome. Even the 1-1 draw with Brazil to conclude the group stage saw Colombia put six of their 13 efforts on target.
Expect them to have a low shot total thanks to Uruguay’s negative tactics, but they should manage to pick up a strong on-target outcome regardless.
Colombia should look to control the pace of play while Uruguay attempt to keep them from getting in a flow. One of Uruguay’s best attributes at hindering the opposition’s buildup is preventing chances from corners, where Colombia are dangerous.
Despite holding just 40 percent possession in the quarterfinal match against Brazil, Uruguay conceded just two corners while racking up six of their own, an impressive count given how desperate Brazil were at the end of the match, playing the final 19 minutes a man up.
That’s nothing new — Uruguay conceded just two corners to a hugely desperate United States in their Group C finale, again proving their ability to prevent an opponent’s verticality.
Riding the hot hand is the way to approach international tournament football, and there’s nobody hotter than James Rodriguez in the 2024 Copa America.
In a match where goals are expected to be at a premium, all the goal scorer and assist odds are inflated, giving us an opportunity we can capitalize on. Rodriguez has five assists so far this tournament and has also scored from the penalty spot, meaning he’ll have multiple ways to cash in on this selection against an overtly physical Uruguay, who could be at risk of conceding a foul in the 18-yard box.
TV channel | Streaming | |
USA | FS1, TUDN, Univision | Fubo USA, Fox Sports app/website, TUDN app/website, Univision NOW, ViX |
Canada | TSN (1, 3, 4), CTV Two, RDS | TSN+, CTV app, RDS app |
UK | Premier Sports 1 | Premier Sports Player |
USA: Colombia vs. Uruguay from Charlotte, NC will be televised in the United States on FS1, with a Spanish-language broadcast via Univision and TUDN. All three channels are available to stream on Fubo, who are offering a FREE seven-day trial.
Spanish-language coverage is also available on streaming platform ViX.
Canada: All Copa America matches can be seen in Canada on TSN’s respective TV channel and live streaming services, while this match is also televised on CTV Two. RDS provides French-language coverage.
UK: This match will be shown in the UK on Premier Sport Player’s platforms.
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