Brazil’s quest for Copa America glory took an unexpected turn as they were held to a draw by Colombia in their final group-stage match, setting up a quarter-final clash with Uruguay.
The match, held in California, saw Brazil, five-time World Cup champions, aiming for a victory to secure top spot in Group D. They started strongly, with Barcelona winger Raphinha scoring a spectacular free-kick to give his team an early lead.
However, Colombia, unbeaten since February 2022, responded resiliently and equalized just before halftime through Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz’s close-range strike.
Despite both teams pushing for a winner in the second half, including a close chance for Colombia’s Rafael Borre, who fired over from close range late in the game, neither side could break the deadlock. The draw meant Colombia topped Group D, setting up a quarter-final against Panama, while Brazil finished as runners-up and will now face Uruguay, who are 15-time winners of the tournament.
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr will miss Brazil’s upcoming quarter-final after receiving his second yellow card of the tournament.
Meanwhile, in the group’s other match, Costa Rica secured a 2-1 victory over Paraguay, thanks to goals from Francisco Calvo and Josimar Alcocer. However, Costa Rica’s hopes of progressing were dashed as they finished one point behind Brazil in the standings.
The Copa America quarter-finals kick off on Friday, with defending champions Argentina taking on Ecuador at 02:00 BST.
The stage is set for an exciting knockout phase as teams vie for supremacy in South American football’s premier tournament.