Charlotte: Colombia clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Uruguay on Wednesday night, securing their place in the Copa America final against Argentina. Jefferson Lerma's header in the 39th minute proved decisive, despite Colombia playing with ten men for the entire second half following Daniel Muñoz's red card just before halftime. It was a tense match marked by a total of seven yellow cards and heightened emotions that spilled over into scuffles on the field and confrontations with fans after the final whistle.

The match unfolded before a predominantly Colombian crowd at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where yellow jerseys and flags dominated the stands. Lerma's goal, from James Rodríguez's corner kick, saw him outmanoeuvre Uruguay's José María Giménez to net his third international goal and second of the tournament. Rodríguez, instrumental throughout the tournament with six assists, triple the tally of any other player, continued to showcase his playmaking prowess.

The turning point came in stoppage time of the first half when Muñoz received his second yellow card for elbowing Manuel Ugarte, reducing Colombia to ten men. Despite the disadvantage, Colombia's defence held firm, extending their unbeaten streak to a record 28 games, the longest in the national team's history, surpassing the previous mark set from 1992 to 1994.

The second half saw Uruguay pressing for an equaliser, with Colombia goalkeeper Federico Valverde finally called into action in the 68th minute to deny Nicolás de la Cruz. Uruguay's Luis Suárez, who entered in the 66th minute, came close to levelling the score but struck the outside of the post with his effort in the 71st minute.

Colombia had opportunities to extend their lead late in the game, with Mateus Uribe and Uribe's shot in stoppage time hitting the crossbar after an initial save by Uruguay's goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.

The match was played in challenging conditions, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit on a surface that had been converted from artificial turf to grass in the weeks leading up to the game.

Now, Colombia prepares to face defending champions Argentina in the Copa America final at Miami Gardens, Florida. Argentina, aiming for a record 16th Copa America title and looking to achieve a rare feat of winning three consecutive major titles, poses a formidable challenge for Colombia in the highly anticipated final showdown. AP