Uruguay demonstrated superior prowess over Bolivia, especially in the final minutes of the match.
Uruguay faced Bolivia in the second match of the Copa America 2024 group stage. Coach Bielsa fielded an attacking lineup with Nunez as the central striker. Uruguay’s number 19 had an early opportunity in the 2nd minute with a header that went wide. However, Uruguay didn’t have to wait long to score. In the 8th minute, Pellistri opened the scoring with a close-range header following a pass from Araujo. This goal boosted Uruguay’s morale, and they continued to create dangerous chances, keeping Bolivia’s goalkeeper busy.
After missing two earlier chances, Darwin Nunez added his name to the scoresheet with a perfect left-footed finish after a quick counterattack. The forward nearly made it 3-0 with a header that hit the crossbar. Towards the end of the first half, Bolivia attempted to find an equalizer but without success.
In the second half, Uruguay controlled possession but played at a slower pace. Meanwhile, Bolivia appeared too feeble in their defensive efforts. It wasn’t until the latter half of the second half that the match became lively again. Pellistri missed a clear chance in the 71st minute, shooting wide into an empty net.
Six minutes later, De la Cruz played a clever through ball, and Araujo sprinted down to score past the opposing goalkeeper, making it 3-0. In the 81st minute, Valverde exchanged a one-two with Pellistri inside the penalty area before firing into the far corner, beyond Bolivia’s goalkeeper’s reach.
In the 89th minute, substitutes De Arrascaeta and Bentancur combined perfectly to seal Uruguay’s emphatic victory.
Final score: Uruguay 5-0 Bolivia (Half-time: 2-0)
Goalscorers: Pellistri 8′, Nunez 21′, Araujo 77′, Valverde 80′, Bentancur 89′
Starting lineups:
Uruguay: Rochet, Nandez, R. Araujo, Olivera, Vina, Valverde, Ugarte, Pellistri, De La Cruz, M. Araujo, Nunez
Bolivia: Viscarra, Rocha, Haquin, Jo. Sagredo, Cespedes, Cuellar, Fernandez, Vaca, Villamil, Algaranaz, Terceros
