Updated July 8th, 2024 to mention Brazil vs Uruguay
The Copa America, South America's premier international football tournament, is a stage where legends are made, rivalries are reignited, and the unexpected often unfolds. The 2024 edition has been no exception, serving up a feast of thrilling matches, stunning calls by referees, and most notably, a series of jaw-dropping upsets that have left fans and pundits alike in a state of disbelief. With 28 games played to date and 3 more to go in the tournament, let's dive into the most significant upsets that have shaken up Copa America 2024 so far.
Panama Stuns the USMNT: Red Cards and VAR
In a match that sent shockwaves throughout the tournament, Panama pulled off a remarkable 2-1 victory over the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) in a dramatic Group C encounter. In just the fifth minute, midfielder Weston McKennie scored a goal for the US before VAR was called into play, nullifying the goal. In the 12th minute, US goalkeeper Matt Turner collided with Cesar Blackman and no yellow card was given to the surprise of many fans. The match took a dramatic turn in the 18th minute when USMNT star Timothy Weah received a straight red card, leaving his team a man down. Despite this setback, Folarin Balogun put the USMNT ahead, only for Panama to equalize four minutes later. Panama went on to score a second goal in the 83rd minute, and a red card for Panama in the 88th minute came too little, too late as the USMNT were held off to a stunning 2-1 loss after playing a man down for over 70 minutes.
This upset not only showcased Panama's ability to out maneuver the US, but also drew attention to the VAR decisions and referee calls made. Many people were quick to call out the referee for not giving a yellow card during the collision with Matt Turner. The inability for the US to maintain control of the game also added to the frustration of many fans.
Unexpected Results for Mexico Against Panama
Venezuela has shocked people watching the Copa America 2024 tournament and has shattered all expectations. Venezuela has won its group stage for just its second time ever in the tournament while beating Mexico for the first time on the international stage.
Despite controlling the ball for 60% of the time - almost double the amount of time for Venezuela, Mexico ended the games scoreless. With a penalty being called against Mexico when Julian Quinones pushed Jon Aramburu in the box, Venezuela capitalized and Rondon delievered on the penalty against Julio Gonzalez.
Mexico had a chance to respond in the 87th minute when a penalty was awarded to them due to a handball by Miguel Navarro. Despite being offered a chance at an equalizer, Pineda's attempt was wide and they missed their shot at closing the game on a draw.
Mexico being in 15th place in the FIFA global rankings and losing to Venezuela for the first time while being ranked in 54th place was a shock to the many fans of Mexico around the world.
USMNT vs Uruguay: VAR and Referee Calls
In another stunning loss for the US Men's team, Uruguay pulled ahead and won 1-0 against USA and kicked the host team out of the tournament. Much attention was placed on the head referee for the match, Kevin Ortega. Ortega seemingly lost control of the game a few times during the match, allowing Uruguay to continue play as a yellow card was being given, almost allowing them to capitalize against the US amidst confusion from players and fans. Plays are stopped during yellow cards and are not started until the referee blows the whistle, but this did not happen during the match.
Things took an even more unexpected turn in the second half when during the 66th minute, Uruguay had a free kick and a header blocked by Matt Turner was kicked back into the goal by Mathias Olivera. Initial replays from all angles showed Olivera being offside by a decent margin, but VAR had a different story to tell. After a frame by frame review of the play, the VAR concluded that Olivera's knee was ever so slightly behind Chris Richards' left toes, meaning the goal stood. This was a shocking outcome to a play many people, including the announcers themselves, who thought the goal was offsides.
Brazil vs Uruguay: Penalty Surprise
Uruguay staged an upset in the Copa America 2024 quarterfinals, defeating tournament favorites Brazil 4-2 on penalties after a tightly contested, scoreless draw. The match, held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, was a physical and defensive battle, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut scoring opportunities. The match saw a tournament-high 41 fouls committed, highlighting the intensity and competitive nature of the encounter.
A turning point in the match came in the 74th minute when Uruguay's Nahitan Nández received a red card for a reckless challenge, leaving his team with 10 men for the remainder of the game. Although having a one man advantage, Brazil couldn't capitalize on the numerical advantage, and the match headed to a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Uruguay scored their first attempt while Brazil missed. After both teams making their second attempt, Brazil again missed, hitting the left post, giving Uruguay a 3-1 lead. This was eventually too much to overcome for Brazil and they lost to Uruguay 4-2 on penalties.
Unexpected Results in Copa America 2024
These upsets are more than just unexpected results for Copa America 2024; they embody the essence of a tournament where passion, pride, and the pursuit of glory often transcend pre-tournament predictions. They remind us that soccer is a sport of infinite possibilities, where underdogs can rise to the occasion, the wrong calls can be made, and every match is an undecided one until the final whistle blows. These upsets highlight the importance of never letting your guard down and being too comfortable with an opponent. They also add an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability to the tournament, making it even more captivating for fans around the world.
As Copa America 2024 heads into the semifinals, we have plenty of exciting and unpredictable soccer to look forward to. With Argentina facing off against Canada, and Colombia playing against Uruguay, there are many more potentially surprising outcomes on the way. If there's anything we've learned while watching the tournament so far, is that anyone who has made it this far, can go all the way and win.
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