A roundup of all of Sunday’s action at the 2019 Copa America in Brazil…
[ WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: USA, Sweden advance ahead of Group F finale ]
Uruguay 4-0 Ecuador
Nicolas Lodeiro, in the company of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, completed Uruguay’s attacking trio to kick off La Celeste‘s Copa America quest on Sunday, and the Seattle Sounders star made the most of Oscar Tabarez’s faith by not only opening the scoring with a true golazo, but also by creating Uruguay’s second and third goals.
#CA2019Telemundo ¡Qué locura de gol! con asistencia de @LuisSuarez9, qué manera de definir de Nico Lodeiro.
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 16, 2019
Uruguay 1-0 Ecuador pic.twitter.com/rQnayYq1Ym
It was also Lodeiro who suffered the elbow to the face that saw Jose Quinteros sent off, and Ecuador reduced to 10 men, (following a lengthy video review) in the 24th minute.
#CA2019Telemundo ¡ROJA Directa! el árbitro después de revisar en el VAR, cambia su decisión de Amarilla a Roja y sale expulsado por @FEFecuador - Alfredo Quintero por una falta sobre Nico Lodeiro.
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 16, 2019
¿Qué opinas? pic.twitter.com/U4gD5hLLYm
Nine minutes after the red card, Cavani hit a side-volley to smash home two touches after Lodeiro headed the ball back into the box, bringing his tally of international goals to 47. 11 minute after that, Suarez poked home a second ball from Lodeiro’s corner kick to notch his record-extending 57th goal for Uruguay.
#CA2019Telemundo ¡Pedazo de gol! que acaba de hacer @ECavaniOfficial, que es su gol 47 con @Uruguay
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 16, 2019
Uruguay 2-0 Ecuador pic.twitter.com/Szzu1NpP3L
#CA2019Telemundo ¡Paren esta masacre! ahora fue @LuisSuarez9 que aumenta la ventaja de @Uruguay sobre @FEFecuador
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 16, 2019
Es su gol 57 con Uruguay y su 5to. en @CopaAmerica pic.twitter.com/sYCeZD00Gj
The rout was complete following Arturo Mina’s own goal in the 78th minute.
#CA2019Telemundo AUTOGOL de Arturo Mina, y @Uruguay aumenta su ventaja de 4-0 sobre @ecuadorfutbol pic.twitter.com/Amsgrky1Jh
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 16, 2019
[ MORE: Copa America organizers worried about empty seats in Brazil ]
Paraguay 2-2 Qatar
Qatar, one of two guest nations (along with Japan) at the Copa America, fell 2-0 behind Paraguay before storming back to rescue a 2-2 draw and begin their first-ever Copa campaign with a point.
In truth, Qatar was the better side and would have never trailed by two goals if not for the early heroics of Paraguay goalkeeper Gatito Fernandez.
Paraguay went ahead after just four minutes, due to Pedro Miguel’s handball and Oscar Cardozo converting the ensuing penalty kick. Derlis Gonzalez made it 2-0 in the 56th minute, and advantage which held for all of 12 minutes before Almoez Ali halved Qatar’s deficit with a stunning strike in the 68th minute.
Juan Rodrigo Rojas was responsible for the equalizer — an own goal — just nine minutes later.
#CA2019Telemundo ¡Qatar se hace presente en @CopaAmerica! qué golazo de Almoez Abdulla para acortara distancias
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 16, 2019
Paraguay 2-1 Qatar pic.twitter.com/Z5rrrG2Vau
#CA2019Telemundo ¡Linda jugada colectiva! y Qatar empata tras gol de Boualem Khoukhi
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 16, 2019
Paraguay 2-2 Qatar pic.twitter.com/GDnaV6hJDU
Monday’s Copa America schedule
Japan v. Chile — 7 p.m. ET