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Mexico beat 10-man Uruguay
CAPTAIN CALAMITY:
Uruguay were leading 1-0 until captain Diego Lugano was sent off for elbowing, providing 'El Tri' with a one-man advantage they made full use of
AP, CARACAS
Monday, Jul 16, 2007, Page 18
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Mexico's Cuauhtemoc Blanco celebrates after scoring against Uruguay in the Olimpico stadium in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday.
PHOTO: EPA
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Mexico exploited the 38th-minute expulsion of Uruguay captain Diego Lugano for three goals and rallied for a 3-1 victory on Saturday that gave El Tri third place at the Copa America.
Cuauhtemoc Blanco converted the penalty to equalize after Lugano was issued a red card for elbowing Gerardo Torrado, and Omar Bravo and Andres Guardado added second-half goals to assure Mexico of finishing third or better in four of the last five South American championships.
Sebastian Abreu gave Uruguay the lead in the 22nd minute, heading in Maximiliano Pereira's cross.
But after Blanco equalized, Bravo lifted a shot over the hands of goalkeeper Fabian Carini, who was racing off his line, in the 68th minute, and Guardado sealed the victory with a left-footed shot from 25m in the 76th.
Argentina and defending champions Brazil were to square off in the tournament final in Maracaibo yesterday.
Mexico finished third in 1997 and 1999 and lost to Colombia in the 2001 final.
El Tri, who lost to the US in the CONCACAF Gold Cup two days before the start of the Copa America, have reached the semi-finals five of the seven times they have been invited to the South American championships.
"This third place is a privilege and a distinction showing that Mexico is on the right track," manager Hugo Sanchez said. "My players demonstrated they are professionals and that even playing back-to-back tournaments they didn't lower their intensity."
Coming off its penalty-kick loss to Brazil in the semi-finals, Uruguay struggled after Lugano's expulsion to maintain possession and feed attacker Diego Forlan.
Uruguay came to Venezuela with a strong, Europe-based team, eager to claim a record 15th title.
"We played a good game, started out dominating, and then in one minute everything changed," Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez said.
Mexico lost 3-0 to Argentina on Wednesday to set up the third-place match against the Uruguayans.
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