Uruguay’s national soccer team tossed Team USA to an early exit from Copa America on Monday and is set to face international giant Brazil in a tantalizing Saturday night quarterfinal.
Just three weeks ago, Uruguay kicked off its Copa America run right here in Palm Beach Gardens.
Uruguayan stars like Darwin Núñez and Luis Suárez took to the lush fields at Joseph R Russo Athletic Complex for training then met with fans while recovering at the PGA National Resort ahead of the 48th Copa America tournament.
Uruguay national soccer team stars Rodrigo Bentancur, Luis Suarez and Jose Maria Gimenez greet fans in the fan zone in Palm Beach Gardens. The team prepared for Copa America with a stay in Palm Beach Gardens in June 2024.
The team held its first training session with head coach Marcelo Bielsa on June 10. An estimated 300 fans, many of whom traveled from Miami-Dade, Broward and Orange counties, gathered to waive the Uruguayan flag and chant the country’s name in support of the national team.
Uruguay team buses left Palm Beach Gardens on June 20 ahead of a tournament opener against Panama at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Tim Ford, recreations operations manager for the City of Palm Beach Gardens, called it a landmark moment for a facility which opened in 2019.
“To have a perennial top 15 team in the world choose a public park in Gardens District Park amongst a myriad of options throughout the United States is a testament to the quality of the facility and the staff that care for it,” Ford said in a statement. “After walking the fields during an initial visit prior to the team’s first training session, renowned Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa voiced his opinion of the condition of the turf by remarking ‘¡Perfecto!'”
Uruguay national soccer team greets city of Palm Beach Gardens staff after a training session ahead of the Copa America in June 2024.
Recent: USMNT’s “golden generation” doesn’t seem very golden at all
Uruguay eliminates Team USA
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JULY 01: Mathias Olivera of Uruguay celebrates with teammates after scoring the team’s first goal during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Group C match between United States and Uruguay at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on July 01, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Uruguayans won all three group stage games after preparing in Palm Beach Gardens, including a 1-0 victory over the United States on Monday which eliminated the host country from its own tournament.
Panama, which defeated USA 2-1, advanced with the group’s second position.
A two-time World Cup champion and a record-tying 15-time winner of Copa America, Uruguay is one of the world’s most successful national soccer teams. The current squad’s group stage success has affirmed their status as a tournament favorite.
Uruguay Brazil Copa America
Uruguay will face Brazil on Saturday at 9 p.m. in a clash of South American giants fit for a tournament final.
Brazil will be without star winger Vinícius Júnior due to yellow card accumulation, a development which could boost Uruguay’s odds of advancing.
While Brazil (No. 4) is ranked higher than Uruguay (No. 14) in the latest FIFA world rankings, the Uruguayans have been more impressive in this tournament, advancing as group winners while Brazil finished runner-up to Colombia.
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Uruguay’s Copa America run included liftoff in Palm Beach Gardens
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/uruguays-copa-america-run-including-160817056.html
Author :
Publish date : 2024-07-05 03:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
