The United States suffered a disappointing exit from the Copa América following a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay on July 1, 2024. The loss not only eliminated the host nation from the tournament but also secured Uruguay’s perfect record in Group C with nine points from three wins. The decisive goal came in the 66th minute when Mathías Olivera capitalized on a rebound, though the legitimacy of the goal was initially questioned due to a potential offside position.The defeat has intensified scrutiny on US coach Gregg Berhalter, whose future with the team is now uncertain. Berhalter’s record against top-20 teams, with only five wins in 20 matches, has become a point of contention. US captain Christian Pulisic expressed the team’s disappointment, stating, ‘We know that we’re capable of more and in this tournament we didn’t show it. It’s really as simple as that. We should have done better’.In a surprising turn of events, Panama secured the second qualifying spot from Group C with a 3-1 victory over Bolivia. This historic achievement marks Panama’s first-ever progression to the Copa América quarterfinals. Uruguay will now face the runner-up from Group D in Las Vegas on Saturday, while Panama is set to play the Group D winner in Glendale, Arizona.The final matches in Group D, particularly the clash between Brazil and Colombia in California, have gained additional significance. Colombia aims to maintain its perfect record and avoid a quarterfinal matchup with Uruguay. As the Copa América moves into its knockout stages, the unexpected elimination of the United States and the rise of underdogs like Panama have added an extra layer of excitement to the tournament.
Key points
- The United States was eliminated from the Copa América after a 1-0 loss to Uruguay.
- Uruguay finished Group C with a perfect record, while Panama surprisingly qualified for the quarterfinals.
- US coach Gregg Berhalter faces increasing pressure due to the team’s poor performance.
- The controversial winning goal by Mathías Olivera was confirmed by VAR despite initial offside concerns.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported scoreline of the Panama vs Bolivia match, with some sources stating 3-1 and others reporting 2-0.
