Hello and welcome to
Sports Mole's live text coverage of the
Copa America quarter-final clash between
Uruguay and Peru at Arena Fonte Nova in Bahia.
Uruguay topped Group C with two wins and a draw from their three matches, while Peru advanced as one of the best third-placed teams after accruing four points from a possible nine in Group A.
La Celeste have beaten their opponents in 12 of the previous 20 clashes they have had in the Copa America, though more recently they have won only one of the last five encounters in the continental competition.
URUGUAY TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Muslera; Gonzalez, Gimenez, Godin, Caceres; Nandez, Bentancur, Valverde, De Arrascaeta; Suarez, Cavani
SUBS: Gomez, Campana, Pereiro, Torreira, Coates, Stuani, Silva, Rodriguez, Lodeiro, Laxalt, Saracchi
PERU TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Gallese; Advincula, Abram, Zambrano, Trauco; Yotun, Tapia; Carrillo, Cueva, Flores; Guerrero
SUBS: Araujo, Caceda, Callens, Santamaria, Alvarez, Polo, Ballon, Corzo, Gonzales, Pretell, Ruidiaz
KICKOFF: Nandez comes in for Lodeiro in Uruguay's only change from their 1-0 win over holders Chile meaning that Torreira - despite recovering from illness - is still among the subs. Zambrano is restored in central defence in one of three changes made by Peru, who lost 5-0 to Brazil in their last outing a full week ago.
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A reminder that the winners of this fourth and final quarter-final will face Chile, back-to-back winners of the competition, for a place in the final. Uruguay are the strong favourites to get the job done.
Uruguay win a free kick just inside the opposition half and it is launched forward, but a player in the famous red and white strip gets to it first. Tabarez's side are being allowed to dictate the tempo of the game.
Suarez floats the ball towards Cavani from the left but Gallese is quickly off his line and plucks it out of the air. Uruguay are bossing possession but they are not looking all that threatening at the moment.
Gimenez catches Guerrero and both players roll around on the floor in pain. When play resumes Peru will have a free kick within crossing range. This may well be Gareca's side's best route through on goal tonight.
The free kick is launched towards the back post and goes out of play without a touch. How disappointing!
Peru, having backed off a fair bit in the opening seven minutes or so, are now on equal footing with their opponents. The tempo of the match has been pretty flat up until this point - fingers crossed it will step up a few notches shortly.
Rather like a lot of the games in this year's competition, there has not a great deal of action in the final third so far. Possession has been split pretty much 50-50 in the opening 13 minutes and we have not yet seen a shot of any note.
SHOT! This is the closest either side have come to a breakthrough goal so far as Valverde sends in a cross from the right and Suarez heads it over the crossbar. The Barcelona striker got under the ball and had a lot of work to do - that was far from easy.
Nandez is played in behind and gets a shot away, but Abram puts his body in the way of the ball and Gallese gathers it in front of goal. Uruguay have started to step things up over the last few minutes.
Gareca will be a lot happier with the way this match is panning out compared to the meeting with Brazil last week. His side already had a mountain to climb at this stage, but they remain on level terms with 19 minutes played today.
Peru are trying to keep a hold of the ball. They do well to get it out to Guerrero out on the right and the striker, who has barely had a touch of the ball so far, charges into the area and wins his side a corner.
Guerrero plays a smart pass in behind towards Carrillo but the speedy attacker cannot quite get on the end of it. Peru are definitely growing into this match - Guerrero in particular - and it has a nice balance to it at the moment.
CHANCE! Suarez wriggles his way past a couple of challenges and gets a shot away, which Gallese keeps out with his feet. The ball falls nicely to Cavani just five yards out, but he skies it over the crossbar. That is undoubtedly the best chance of the match so far.
Nandez makes a brilliant run into the box, gets ahead of his man and meets Suarez's cross from the left, but he is unable to keep his header on target and the offside flag would have gone up against him anyway.
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DISALLOWED GOAL! Nandez sends in a cross from the right and, after the ball is knocked into his path by an opposition defender, De Arrascaeta drills it home. The offside flag cuts his celebrations short, though, and that was the right call - Nandez was clearly offside.
The pressure is starting to build on Peru but they are still on level terms with a third of the match played. Advincula slides in to concede a free kick and the ball will surely be launched into the box from deep.
YELLOW CARD! Uruguay have had a goal ruled out for offside and missed a sitter through Cavani - it is turning into a frustrating first half for them. Even more so for centre-back Godin as he has been shown the first yellow card of the evening for fouling Guerrero.
Peru have been under the cosh for large parts of this first half but, again, they are on level terms. Gareca does not look all that happy down on the touchline, though - he wants his side to keep control of the ball.
Carrillo gets back to help dispossess Suarez in the box. Guerrero tries to break clear at the other end but Gimenez does brilliantly to get across and win the ball back for his side. Two very good pieces of defending there in the space of a minute.
Cavani turns De Arrascaeta's cross goalwards and Gallese has another save to make, though the offside flag again went up. The gaps are starting to appear at the back now with Uruguay creating a fair few openings - can they find a breakthrough before the interval?
Uruguay are really starting to turn the screw now. Another dangerous cross is played into the box and Abram is well positioned to turn it behind for a corner. Peru could do with the half-time whistle, which is still about five minutes away.
It is a constant bombardment on the Peru goal now from Uruguay. Gareca is not a happy man at all and may well change things around at the break. As for Tabarez, he will just be disappointed that his side do not have a lead to hold on to.
From pretty much out of nothing, Guerrero latches on to a ball in behind and Gimenez makes a vital block in front of goal. Peru may have been second best in this first half but they have had a couple of half-decent opportunities.
HALF TIME: URUGUAY 0-0 PERU
The sides go into half time all square at 0-0 in Salvador. Uruguay had the better of things in the first half, missing a glorious chance through Cavani, but Peru also had one or two promising moments and it remains all to play for.
Luis Suarez picked out the roof of the net with a difficult headed chance and then played a big part in the only real chance of the first half.
The Barcelona striker wriggled away from a couple of men, tested Pedro Gallese down low and the loose ball fell perfectly for Edinson Cavani, who blazed it over the bar from five yards.
Uruguay enjoyed the better of things in the opening 45 minutes but could not find a way through, with Giorgian de Arrascaeta having a goal ruled out half an hour in because of an offside infringement against Nahitan Nandez.
Peru's best moments before half time came whenever Paolo Guerrero was on the ball, but some brilliant defending from Jose Gimenez denied the veteran striker a clean shot at goal 45 minutes in.
BENCH WATCH!
URUGUAY SUBS: Gomez, Campana, Pereiro, Torreira, Coates, Stuani, Silva, Rodriguez, Lodeiro, Laxalt, Saracchi
PERU SUBS: Araujo, Caceda, Callens, Santamaria, Alvarez, Polo, Ballon, Corzo, Gonzales, Pretell, Ruidiaz
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KICKOFF: Uruguay get us back up and running in Salvador in this tight quarter-final tie. Remember, there is no extra time in the Copa America quarters so we will go straight to penalties if needed.
A first-time pass from defence sends Guerrero through. A poor first touch lets him down and the offside flag eventually went up anyway. Peru look dangerous whenever they get their striker involved in play.
YELLOW CARD! Zambrano barges into the back of Suarez and is shown the second yellow card of the evening. That looked a little harsh on the centre-back, who has now been cautioned a couple of times in this year's competition. Valverde's free kick from range is dealt with by Gallese.
La Celeste's play has been pretty disjointed in the early stages of the second half. Peru's mission is seemingly to break up play and hold out for penalties, knowing that they have a serious chance of reaching the semis if they can take this match all the way.
Peru are enjoying a spell on top now, with a couple of crosses into the box being dealt with. This game is looking as though it is going to end up the same as the Brazil and Chile quarter-finals.
Some brilliant defending from Godin prevents Peru from potentially taking the lead, as he puts his body on the line in front of goal. Uruguay have struggled to find any real rhythm since emerging for the second half.
URUGUAY SUB! It is not great surprise to see Tabarez make a change before the hour mark as his side have struggled in the second half. Torreira, who many expected to return to the starting lineup today, replaces Nandez.
CHANCE! That is now two huge chances Uruguay have missed this evening. Suarez keeps the attack alive and pulls the ball back for Godin, who blazes his shot high over the crossbar - much like teammate Cavani in the first half - from seven yards.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Cavani thinks he has opened the scoring for Uruguay but the offside flag cuts short his celebrations. The striker took Suarez's pass in his stride and curled the ball out of Gallese's reach, but he was marginally offside. It will go to a VAR check.
YELLOW CARD! Peru are occasionally getting forward and you just sense that, with all the decisions that are going against Uruguay, it may well be their day. Cueva is the latest player to enter the referee's book following a challenge on Torreira.
The game is becoming very stretched. Peru are not just sitting back, and when they do get the ball forward they look dangerous. A lack of pace is preventing them from getting in behind on the counter, though.
The ball is taken away from Cavani's feet before he can either get away a shot or pick out a better positioned teammate. From the next attack, the striker is flagged for offside after latching on to De Arrascaeta's pass.
SHOT! Suarez's half-volley from just outside the box spins harmlessly wide of the target. Uruguay have created just one clear-cut chance in the second half, which centre-back Godin could not make the most of. There are still 20 minutes to go here.
YELLOW CARD! Valverde is booked for his challenge on Yotun. Suarez then pushes Advincula off the pitch, leading to another stoppage. The game has become very stop-star, which will suit Peru more so than their opponents. Uruguay need a bit of magic from Suarez or Cavani.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Uruguay have a third goal disallowed! Suarez gets in front of his man to turn Caceres's cross past Gallese, but the offside flag again goes against La Celeste. It will go to a VAR check but he was clearly offside.
PERU SUB! Peru boss Gareca brings on Gonzalez for Carrillo with 15 minutes to go. Uruguay are looking incredibly frustrated now, knowing that time is fast running out to win this match in normal time.
SHOT! Gonzales, who has not been on the field long, decides to have a go from range. It is just Peru's third shot of the evening and it ends well wide of the target. Suarez is complaining about every decision - no change there!
Peru are still enjoying the odd promising moment in Salvador but they look far less like scoring than their opponents. Guerrero is down receiving some treatment. By the time he is back to his feet we will be into the final 10 minutes.
It is looking increasingly likely as though we will go to penalties. Caceres tries to get free down the left but Advincula stands his ground to concede only a throw. The long throw comes in and is headed clear at the front post.
Guerrero, back on the field after his earlier collision, does brilliantly to bring the ball under control and he then plays in Flores on the overlap. He does not have anyone to aim for in the middle, though, and the cross goes right through the box without a touch.
PERU SUB! Peru make another change as Cueva is replaced by Ruidiaz. A goal for Uruguay now - the side that have had three goals disallowed already today - would surely send them through to the semi-finals.
Both teams are struggling to inject any pace into their attacks. The good news is that we do not have the prospect of an additional 30 minutes - it will go straight to penalties. Peru have around seven minutes to see through.
Cavani tries to attack the cross but he is beaten to it by Abram. Uruguay have a corner, which is cleared to the edge of the box. The ball is clipped back into the middle but it has too much on it and runs behind for a goal kick.
Zambrano picks up an injury and the physios come on, leading to yet another stoppage. Seven minutes have been added on, though, so there is still plenty of time for Uruguay to find a winner.
Ruidiaz makes a good run in behind - a brave run at this stage in the game, it must be said - but he has no reward as the ball comes back off him and goes behind for a goal kick. There are now just four minutes of added time to be played.
SHOT! Suarez finally comes to life as he latches on to the ball in the box. Gallese races off his line, though, and Suarez is unable to hook the shot on target. Peru, who shipped five goals against Brazil last week, have surely done enough for penalties.
Zambrano produces a good block in the box to cut out a shot from Bentancur. That will surely be that as there are just 60 seconds to go in Salvador.
END OF 90 MINUTES: URUGUAY 0-0 PERU
The referee brings an end to the 90 minutes - we are going to penalties. Brazil required spot kicks to overcome Paraguay and Chile likewise in their quarter-final with Colombia. Both of those games also finished goalless, so it is fair to see the knockout stages have not exactly come to life thus far.
*URUGUAY 0-0 PERU - SUAREZ MISSES! Suarez's penalty towards the bottom left is kept out by Gallese!
URUGUAY 0-1 PERU* - GUERRERO SCORES! Guerrero fizzes it into the bottom corner and Peru lead 1-0!
*URUGUAY 1-1 PERU - CAVANI SCORES! Cavani buries the ball in the top corner of the net to restore some hope.
URUGUAY 1-2 PERU* - RUIDIAZ SCORES! Ruidiaz just about squeezes his spot kick past Muslera to put Peru back in front.
*URUGUAY 2-2 PERU - STUANI SCORES! Stuani, who came on in the 96th minute, sends the pen into the top corner from his first kick of the ball.
URUGUAY 2-3 PERU* - YOTUN SCORES! This is a brilliant pen from Yotun, who drills the ball into the top corner.
*URUGUAY 3-3 PERU - BENTANCUR SCORES! Bentancur goes to the right and Gallese guesses the opposite way.
URUGUAY 3-4 PERU* - ADVINCULA SCORES! Advincula goes for power and he manages to get the better of Muslera. Great pen!
*URUGUAY 4-4 PERU - TORREIRA SCORES! Torreira has to score and he does exactly that, drilling the ball low into the net.
URUGUAY 4-5 PERU* - FLORES SCORES! Flores scores and Peru win the penalty shoot-out!
PERU THROUGH 5-4 ON PENALTIES!
Uruguay have been knocked out of the 2019 Copa America at the quarter-final stage following a penalty-shootout defeat to Peru.
La Celeste missed two glorious opportunities in normal time through Cavani and Godin, while also having three goals rightly ruled out for offside, and Suarez's missed pen then proved costly in the shootout.
Peru will now face Chile in Belo Horizonte on Thursday for a place in the final.
That concludes
Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from Salvador.
An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and be sure to join us next week for coverage of both semi-finals and the final. See you then!