At Allegiant Stadium, two joint-record time champions meet for an explosive quarterfinal clash. Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa has selected his same squad that played against US in their previous meeting – however Maximiliano Araujo is out due to a neck injury and will miss this matchup.
Endrick will take his chance as 17-year-old while Rodrygo may shift over to the flank position. It promises to be an intense affair as Uruguay’s strong foundation collides with Brazil’s quick turnaround time.
Team Lineups
Uruguay must remain on their toes against Brazil, and will have to do without Vinicius Junior who picked up two yellow cards against Colombia and will serve a one-match suspension.
Nahitan Nandez may start for Uruguay after his controversial tackle on Rodrygo during their penalty shootout win against USA. Mathias Olivera and Matias Vina will likely also play prominent roles for their side.
Brazil head coach Dorival Junior will likely field his full strength team; however, midfielder Lucas Paqueta and defender Wendell have received yellow cards, potentially meaning they may not be available for their quarterfinal clash against Spain.
Assuming neither player is unavailable, expect Danilo to lead Brazil’s starting right- back lineup at Euro 2016. This squad can compete with any opponent and should be able to dictate proceedings from beginning to end.
Uruguay Team Performance
Uruguay has made waves at the Copa America, winning all their games to date and leading their group. Luis Suarez has been on fire, scoring multiple goals.
They will take on Brazil in a quarterfinal match, both teams have performed admirably throughout this tournament and the winner of this contest will advance to face either Colombia or Panama in a semifinal encounter – it should add extra spice due to comments by former Leeds United coaches Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, which will add further dimension. You should check the score card of Uruguay National Football Team.
Uruguay has some talented players that could pose a threat to Brazil’s defense, so they will need to play intelligently and keep the ball moving, while pressing hard against any attempts by Brazil to gain any space during transition. Danilo from Paris Saint Germain (PSG) has been consistent for Brazil so far and must continue this strong performance against Uruguay’s powerful attack.
Brazil Team Performance
Brazil are looking to take their play to another level after drawing two of their opening three matches against Uruguay, whom they’ve defeated nine times before. While Vinicius Junior will miss this match due to receiving a yellow card during group stage play and will serve one-match suspension, Dorival Junior says his absence won’t alter their approach in any way.
Former Leeds United manager Mick McCarthy must address some defensive concerns when at full strength. Nahitan Nandez, one of Uruguay’s key defenders, is scheduled to return from suspension following an incident with Rodrygo during penalties that earned him a red card.
Sergio Rochet and Jose Maria Gimenez will remain as back-up goalkeeper and center back respectively, having helped their side withstand South Korea’s late comeback to finish top of Group D.
Highlights
CONMEBOL heavyweights meet in a quarterfinal match at Allegiant Stadium Saturday evening to vie for a spot in the semi-final. Real Madrid will likely start 17- year-old Endrick up front due to Vinicius Junior’s yellow card accumulation; Rodrygo may move out onto either flank, while Raphinha, Savio and Gabriel Martinelli battle it out for attack spots.
Brazil drew 3-3 with Chile in Group A’s other game. The match featured 41 fouls committed and Nahitan Nandez was shown red late on for lunging Rodrygo; yet Marcelo Bielsa’s side managed to beat Chile 4-2 on shootout and advance to the last four.
Uruguay claimed their inaugural win of this competition despite playing with only 10 men for 15 minutes at the end. Following the shootout, both sides hugged one another in celebration – it was an appropriate conclusion to an intense and controversial match that featured numerous physical confrontations and dirty play – and provided Raphinha and Bielsa an opportunity to showcase their friendship on an international stage.
Final words
Uruguay will field their strongest team in this match as they require a win in order to advance. At the same time, Bielsa may rest some starters but will not go with an inexperienced side. Meanwhile, United States will also field their strongest lineup as they need one win to qualify.
Brazil will be without Vinicius Junior after being dismissed against Colombia for a reckless tackle, leaving their team vulnerable against quick counterattacks from Uruguay.
Brazil and Uruguay share many similarities, yet have distinctive styles of play. South American giants like Brazil and Argentina rely on flashy dribbling to create opportunities, while Uruguay specialize in swamp soccer – which requires relentless tenacity from players as their organization excels and their play is hard-hitting yet effective at counterattacks despite being smaller teams. Furthermore, Uruguay are one of the most successful Copa America teams ever, having won it four times!
