Chile v Uruguay

1. Isla fires hosts into the lead from inside area
2. Cavani and Fucile sent off for Uruguay
3. Uruguay are defending champions
4. Winners play either Peru or Bolivia in the semi-finals
5. Cavani may miss match after father involved in car crash

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It felt like it would never come.

It felt like Uruguay could sneak it on penalties like against Ghana at the 2010 World Cup.

But this moment finally arrived and hosts Chile will play either Peru or Bolivia in the semi-finals.

You won't bet against them for the whole thing. There is a lot of momentum behind them now.

Catch you back here soon to see if they can lift their fist ever Copa America. Bye for now.

Jubilation among the home support.

Uruguay are taking this very badly with more barracking, moaning and nit-picking at the final whistle.

They have been played off the park today. And they looked like an unruly rabble by the end. Not doing anything for their national footballing stereotype today.

FULL-TIME

What a chance to seal it!

Arturo Vidal is all alone as the Uruguayan defence parts like the Red Sea, but Fernando Muslera gets off his line sharply to make the save.

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Joe Foxon: Utterly pathetic from Uruguay.

Johnny Magrinho: Surrounding the referee like a bunch of thugs. Again. Anyone else getting bored by poor refereeing and volatile reactions?

Mohsin BCFC: There has been much more fighting than football, Valdivia still managing to show his class in between all the commotion though.

Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo clutches onto a cross ahead of Uruguay's Diego Godin who has rolled up from the back as an added forward.

INJURY TIME

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Four minutes added on.

RED CARD

Suddenly the referee is surrounded by a melee of pushing and shoving players.

The spark was Jorge Fucile's crunching tackle on Alexis Sanchez. The Uruguayan took a good look at the Arsenal man and launched into a ugly scissor-challenge.

The Chile bench in incensed and they get their wish when Fucile is sent off. Uruguay retaliate with more outrage and shoving. But finally order is restored and play restarts.

SUBSTITUTION

A change for Chile with Jorge Valdivia brought off in place of a bit more midfield solidity.

YELLOW CARD

Chile substitute Mauricio Pinilla has his name taken by the referee.

GOAL

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Chile have their breakthrough and the Estadio Naciaonal is being rocked to its very foundations.

Not a particularly complex goal with the ball tossed into the area and Fernando Musclera failing to get a convincing punch.

From the edge of the box, Jorge Valdivia works it to Mauricio Isla who strikes low and hard through a thicket of players and past a recovering Muslera.

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CLOSE!

Was that the chance?!

The Uruguay goal somehow remains intact as a corner kick clears Gary Medal by a matter of inches, hops through the six-yard box and behind the arriving Arturo Vidal.

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No extra time remember people.

This match will be decided on penalties if we cannot find a winner in the next 15 minutes.

Jorge Valdivia is still pulling strings for Chile in attack, but his attempted one-two and burst into the area is partially blocked. Aryuro Vidal mis-hits a volley from a tight angle. It was ambitious, and now a waste.

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Tom: I don't think anyone would want to see Uruguay's Monte Video of this match.

SUBSTITUTION

Double change. Mauricio Pinilla is going to come on along with Mathias Fernandez for Chile. In the opposite direction come Eduardo Vargas and Marcelo Diaz.

YELLOW CARD

Maxi Pereira hacks another lump out of Alexis Sanchez with a sliding and late tackle from behind.

That might well have been red in front of an English official. Periera puts up with a yellow.

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Mike: Cavani has been a waste upfront but stupid for him to earn that red card.

Johnny Magrinho: Neymar & Cavani both sent off for petulant reasons. What has happened to football? It's utterly embarrassing at times.

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RED CARD

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Edinson Cavani has gone. Mentally he is off the leash.

After picking up a first yellow for nudging the linesman as he got in his face, he has picked up a second for slapping Gonzalao Jara with the back of his hand in an off-the-ball incident.

He doesn't want to go though. Oh no. Cavani spends a good minute trying to get close to the referee for a review of the decision or towards some of the less sympathetic Chile players.

Finally he is off. And is still haranguing some poor dogsbody down in the stadium bowels.

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Who'd a thunk it? A little bit of Hull's misfit striker Abel Hernandez is just what Uruguay needed.

A little spell of pressure, a shot from distance, but Chile are soon back down the other end with Arturo Vidal lining up from long range and clipping his shot right at Fernando Muslera.

SUBSTITUTION

Hull City striker Abel Hernandez is about to make an appearance. The Uruguayan is stripped and ready to come on.

Diego Rolan is sacrificed.

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BBC World's Richard Padula: "This Copa America must be setting a record for the level of jeering, whistling and expletives before and during every goal-kick. Also interesting that despite the wall-to-wall coverage and condemnation following Vidal's Ferrari crash, I've heard nothing negative from the fans during the two games since. Very much business as usual for Vidal."

Uruguay get a sniff of a chance and they could easily be ahead had Diego Rolan made cleaner contact as the ball hopped up invitingly for him six yards out.

His attempt to stab past Claudio Bravo is gobbled up by the Chile goalkeeper.

Chile are making all the running.

Alexis Sanchez feints to buy a yard of space and then dishes up a lovely cross to the far post. Uruguay's defence just about manages to get highest to head clear.

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Jasonbannerman: Uruguay haven't impressed in this tournament at all.

They have looked like a walking defeat so far tonight.

Arturo Vidal rattles in another effort from distance. Again it is a very clean strike, but again Fernando Muslera is equal to it in the Uruguay goal.

Alexis Sanchez wins a free-kick down by the Uruguay corner flag as he tempts Alvaro Gonzalez into a rash challenge.

It is a decent position, but Edinson Cavani, getting back to do some defensive dirty work, heads clear.

KICK-OFF

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The Uruguayan players kept their Chilean counterparts waiting on the pitch for a good few minutes, before finally emerging for the second.

Gamesmanship? Probably.

Belatedly, we are up and running.

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Karl Donnelly: Nine years today Portugal v Holland 16 yellows 4 red cards.. doubt this match will end with 22. Chile to win.

Akhil Dasani: If Valdivia was Brazilian he'd be playing for one of the big teams by now.

BBC World's Richard Padula: "At half-time, let's reflect on the tragic and shocking history of this venue. This morning we took a tour of the stadium. Anywhere else in the World this would be a fun glimpse behind the scenes on match-day. But the Estadio Nacional has a dark past. It was used as a prison camp in the 1970s during the early days of the Pinochet regime. The dressing rooms were used to hold political prisoners (120 to a room) and cruel, unspeakable acts of torture took place.

"At the north end of the stadium behind the goal, a row of 14 old wooden benches are kept as a memorial. They're fenced off and no-one ever sits on them. Behind the benches is a sign that reads "A People who Forget their Past are a People with no Future".

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Andrew: So glad there isn't extra time. 2:30 finish and kids get up at 6 #vamosChile.

Just a heads-up. There will be no extra-time to take us deeper into the BST morning.

Instead we are straight to spot kicks if the two teams are level at the end of 90 minutes.

Half-time stats

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Eight shots, 78% possession...Chile are well on top but the most important stat of all is 0-0. And just look at the number of fouls by both teams.

HALF-TIME

Brutal stuff, but no goals to go with the bruising and battling.

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John Arthur Rooney: I have literally never seen Cavani be anything but terrible, hope LFC dont buy him.

YELLOW CARD

Another update, another yellow card.

This time for Maurcio Isla of Chile after he mistimes a slide in on Carlos Sanchez.

YELLOW CARD

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Some fouls are cynical and crafty. That one was cynical and clueless.

Uruguay's Jorge Fucile steps across to body check Eduardo Vargas after the ball has gone. Vargas was not going anywhere dangerous or anywhere fast, but Fucile is going straight into the book.

Uruguay with a corner and all the beanpoles up from the back...but out comes Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to land a roundhouse punch on the ball, sending it to safety.

BBC World's Richard Padula: "Slightly off topic perhaps but yesterday the newspaper El Mercurio had an interview with Man City's Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini. Apparently he wants to manage the Chile national team. (Also said Man City lacked ambition last season!)"

Arturo Vidal stings the palms of Fernando Muslera in the Uruguay goal with a full-blooded drive from 25 yards. That was swerving left and right in the air like a toe-poked plastic garage ball.

Two big meaty fists behind it though keep it out.

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Alexis Sanchez almost ghosts in at the far post, but a stretching boot from the Uruguay full-back does enough to get it behind for a goal-kick with the last touch coming off the Arsenal man.

Sanchez tries his luck from further out shortly after, but that is clean over the top and into the cheap seats.

All Chile so far..

YELLOW CARD

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It is getting physical out there and Edinson Cavani's temper is fraying.

The Uruguayan striker gets a hefty barge in the back from Arturo Vidal and no free-kick. He gets right up close and personal with the linesman as he complains - close enough that the assistant referee can probably tell what he had for a pre-match snack.

The referee is not having his mate treated like that and whips out yellow.

More Chile pressure as Charles Aranguiz spins into a pocket of space on the edge of the box, but he drags his shot with the crowd squealing in anticipation of an opening goal for the hosts.

Fernando Muslera had plenty of time to drop on the ball.

Handbags

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"Hold me back, hold me back!"

Players from both sides do a bit of chest-puffing and shoving as Eduardo Vargas goes in hard as he contests a 50:50 ball with Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

Finally it all calms down.

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Carlos Sanchez goes for something extravagant as the ball breaks to him on the edge of the Chile box.

An outside-of-the-foot airborne half-volley, doesn't get the curl required to trouble goalkeeper Claudio Bravo though.

YELLOW CARD

The first name goes into the book and the honour belongs to Jorge Valdivia of Chile.

The playmaker catches Jose Gimenez with a naughty lazy foot, planting six studs on his shin as they came together in midfield.

BBC World's Richard Padula: "How does a coach motivate his players for a Copa America quarter-final? Well, Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli got his players to watch a film about the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped in 2010."

Carlos Sanchez is a stocky little presence in the heart of the Uruguay midfield. If the football ever doesn't work out, he could do a job on a nightclub door.

If he and Gary Medel come into close contact it could get very tasty.

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Sbusiso: Can Cavani finally justify his ludicrous price tag?

Megs!

Audacious from Jorge Valdivia as the Chilean takes a touch with his back to goal and simultaneously spins and nutmegs a Uruguayan centre-back with his second.

Appreciative ohhs from the crowd, but Valdivia cannot turn a trick into a chance. His attempt to sweep the ball inside is cut out.

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BBC Sport's Richard Padula in Chile: "Stat attack: Chile have played Uruguay 77 times and only managed 16 wins and 18 draws. At the Copa America, they have not beaten Uruguay since 1983.

"There hasn't been too many opportunities for star spotting at Copa America games but the former Chile, Real Madrid and Inter striker Ivan Zamorano has just taken his place in one of the TV commentary booths. But a warning from history for the Chile fans. Uruguay have knocked out the hosts in 3 of the last 5 Copa America tournaments."

The was a chance created out in west London.

Eduardo Vargas volleys just over the top from Mauricio Isla's cross. The Chile pair were at QPR on loan from Napoli and Juventus respectively last season.

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Uruguay have come to contest, not contain.

They are pressing high and hard with Edinson Cavani and Diego Rolan, buzzing about busily putting pressure on the Chile centre-backs.

First bit of needle as Chile's Charles Arangiz has a little nibble of Diego Godin as the Uruguay centre-back tries to stride out of defence.

The referee keeps his cards dry. They are going to see plenty of use I think.

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Anthony Ryan: Traditional Garra Charrúa and little attempt to attack from Uruguay tonight. Frustrate and conquer! Vamos La Celeste!

What with the patterns shaved in his head and the ink on his body, there are more symbols on Arturo Vidal than in the bottom of a freemason's wardrobe.

Uruguay have opened up well with Diego Rolan almost playing in Edinson Cavani and then Claudio Bravo in the Chile goal looking a little rushed as he comes to punch.

BBC World's Richard Padula in Chile: "Following his heroics in Chile's last game, Gary Medel has been likened to Chuck Norris here in Chile. Chuck Norris-esque 'jokes' have been doing the rounds, such as..."If Gary crashes his Ferrari, he takes the cop to jail".

KICK-OFF

Gary Medel, once of Cardiff, now of Inter Milan, is at the centre of Chile's pre-match huddle.

Instructions duly barked out. His side get us up and running.

A huge Chilean flag is unfurled at one end of the ground as the national anthem is roared out.

The ditty goes on longer than the 90 seconds permitted for each team's anthem. So the crowd and Chile players continue acapella after the music dies away.

The Uruguay players - very wisely - stay exactly where they are until their opponents have finished.

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If there is a Chilean version of Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, they will be enjoying their 15 minutes of fame now.

The Estadio Nacional in Santiago is decked out in the national colours and the atmosphere is bubbling.

The joys of being hosts. And the Uruguayan national anthem is not given much time by the home support. They jeer heartily throughout.

BBC World's Richard Padula in Chile: "Another smoggy day here in Santiago. Once again the Andes have been difficult to make out through the thick pollution. But now the stadium is lit up in the evening darkness...as the fans fill up the last few empty red seats.

"Team sheets handed out 45 minutes ago. And despite speculation in the Chilean newspapers this morning that Uruguay's Edinson Cavani could return home and miss the rest of the tournament - following the arrest of his father. His name is on the team sheet. And he's in the starting XI."

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It had been suggested that Edinson Cavani might miss the match tonight as well.

His father, Luis, was involved in a car crash in which a 19-year-old motorcyclist was killed back in their home country.

Luis has reportedly been held by the authorities. His son plays.

LINE-UPS

Chile XI: Bravo; Isla, Jara, Medel, Mena; Aranguiz, Diaz, Vidal, Valdivia; Vargas, Sanchez.

Uruguay XI: Muslera; Pereira, Godín, Giménez, Fucile; Sanchez, A. Ríos, Gonzalez, Rodriguez; Rolan, Cavani.

An evening lacking bite

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Talking skin and teeth, it was exactly a year ago on the evening of 24 June that Luis Suarez sank his teeth into the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

"Ban him for as long as possible." Throw him in jail and lock him up forever." "He needs the longest ban in football ever." That's what they said.

Funny how things turn around.

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But Fifa have not forgotten. Suarez is still serving out his nine-match international ban for the incident and is missing for this tournament.

"Styles make fights." If the old boxing adage can be applied to football matches then this should be a cracker.

Host nation Chile scored 10 goals in finishing top of Group A, building a groundswell of belief among their fans that they might finally lift the Copa America after finishing as runners-up four times.

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Defending champions Uruguay scraped through by the skin of their teeth - as one of the best third-placed teams after finishing behind Argentina and Paraguay in Group B.

Their three matches so far have featured only four goals.

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