Mexico have beaten Uruguay 3-1 in the Copa América 2007 Venezuela Third-Place play-off in the Stadio Olímpico de la Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas on Saturday to take third-place in the South American tournament.

Sebastian Abreu opened the score for Uruguay, with Cuauhtémoc Blanco levelling from the penalty-spot for Mexico’s El Tri, but with Uruguay down to ten-men after their skipper was sent off as he conceded the first-half penalty.

Mexico then dominated the second-half of the match, with goals from Omar Bravo and Andreas Guardado sealing the match for Mexico's El-Tricolore

The game started brightly, with Uruguay possibly having the edge in possession in the opening half-hour, but both teams looking likely to score.

Mexico’s Omar Bravo went down under a challenge from Uruguay skipper Diego Alfredo Lugano in the penalty-area as Mexico began to find their way into the match, for what looked like a sure-fire penalty, but the Ecuadorian referee waved his appeal away.

Uruguay took the lead in the 22nd minute, with Victor Maximiliano Perreira crossing the ball to the far post, with Sebastian Abreu rising high to head the ball in past Francisco Guillermo Ochoa in the Mexico goal.

Lugano was again involved in a penalty call in the 36th minute, with the referee this time awarding a contentious penalty to Mexico after Lugano collided with Gerardo Torrado.

Lugano was shown a straight-red card after the referee accused the La Celeste captain of hitting out at Torrado which, on-replay, seemed harsh.

Cuauhtémoc Blanco smashed the penalty home for Mexico to level the scores, with both teams going into half-time level on goals, but with Mexico having the luxury of the next 45 minutes with one player more than their rivals.

Mexico forced their advantage in the second-half, forcing Uruguay keeper Fabián Carini into some fine saves before the breakthrough for Mexico came in the 68th minute, with a stunning strike from distance from Omar Bravo.

Just eight minutes later Mexico sealed the win with substitute Andres Guardado smashing home a long-range strike after the Uruguay defence, who had been running their socks off throughout the match, gave him too much space to shoot.

Uruguay head coach Oscar Tabarez made three late substitutions, bringing on Vicente Sánchez, Néstor Fabián Canobbio and Wálter Alejandro Gargano for Diego Forlán, Ignacio María González and Pablo Gabriel García as they tried to pull themselves back into the match, but they were denied any consolation goal as Mexico keeper Oswaldo Sánchez made a couple of great late saves to keep the score at 3-1 and give Mexico third-place in the tournament.

Full confirmed team-sheets for Uruguay v Mexico in the Third-Place play-off of the Copa América 2007, Venezuela:

Uruguay Team: Fabián Carini, Diego Godín, Jorge Ciro Fucile, Diego Alfredo Lugano (Sent-Off 36), Diego Scotti, Pablo Gabriel García (Wálter Alejandro Gargano, 79), Sebastián Abreu, Ignacio María González (Néstor Fabián Canobbio, 75), Victor Maximiliano Pereira, Cristian Gabriel Rodríguez, Diego Forlán (Vicente Sánchez, 74).

Uruguay Substitutes Not Used: Juan Guillermo Castillo, Carlos Diogo, Darío Rodríguez, Carlos Adrian Valdez, Diego Pérez, Fabián Estoyanoff, Alvaro Recoba, Gonzalo Sebastián Vargas.

Mexico Team: Francisco Guillermo Ochoa, José Antonio Castro, Johnny Magallón, Fausto Pinto (Andreas Guardado,65), Francisco Rodríguez, Gerardo Torrado, Jaime Arturo Lozano (Jaime Correa,78), Ramón Morales, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Omar Bravo (Luis Angel Landín,88), Nery Castillo.

Mexico Substitutes Not Used: Oswaldo Sánchez, Israel Castro, Rafael Márquez, Fernando Enrique Arce, Juan Carlos Cacho, Gonzalo Pineda, Alberto Medina, Adolfo Bautista.