Argentina Failed to Advance in Semi Finals

Uruguay advanced to the semifinals of the Copa America with a penalty shootout victory over hosts Argentina on Saturday, with Carlos Tevez having his spotkick saved by goalkeeper Fernando Muslera in the decider.

The game ended 1-1 after regulation time and there was no addition to that scoreline in extra time. The final tally in the shootout was 5-4 to Uruguay.

Diego Perez gave Uruguay a surprise 1-0 lead in the 6th minute, but Gonzalo Higuain equalized in the 18th. Argentina had a man advantage from the 39th when Perez received his second yellow. But Muslera and Uruguay's rugged defense stopped Argentina, which had a dozen chances in regulation and extra time.

The teams returned to even strength when Argentina captain Javier Mascherano was sent off in the 87th.

Uruguay will face Peru in the semifinals on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Brazil faces Paraguay and Chile plays Venezuela in the remaining quarterfinals.

It's a bitter loss Argentina, which was hoping to win its first major trophy in 18 years; and hoping to do it at home with Lionel Messi, the world's best player. Messi showed flashes, but was unable to deliver for his home nation where he has been often criticized for not performing as well as he does at Barcelona.

Argentina never gelled as a team, winning only one match in four at the tournament. That against an under-23 team that Costa Rica fielded as a guest nation from the CONCACAF region.

The website of the Argentine sports daily ''Ole'' immediatley called the loss ''a national failure. Good-bye to the dream of winning the Copa at home. Not even Messi can save us''

Again, Argentina's smaller neighbor Uruguay was the better side. Last year in the World Cup in South Africa, Uruguay also reached the semifinals with Argentina going out at the quarterfinal stage.

Argentina and Uruguay have each won this event 14 times, and Brazil has won eight. But Brazil has won four of the past five.

''We've managed to reach our first objective, which was to match our results in the last Copa America,'' Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said.

BEST XI OF COPA AMERICA

Best ... through group stage, that is. Check out Joel Richards' and Rupert Fryer's picks: Who made the cut?

Argentina coach Sergio Batista is now likely to come under enormous pressure. Batista replaced Diego Maradona following the World Cup, and immediately after the match was asked if he planned to resign.

''I'm not thinging about that,'' he said. ''It has never crossed by mind. I have to continue on the job. My job started five or six months ago, and I have to continue with my plans. The important thing is the (2014) World Cup.