Uruguay have beaten hosts Venezuela 4-1 in the first quarter final in the Copa América 2007.

An opening goal from Villarreal striker Diego Forlan was cancelled out by a superb free-kick from Real Mallorca’s Juan Arango to take the score 1-1 into half-time, but Uruguay showed their class in the second-half, with goals from Pablo Gabriel Garcia, Cristian Gabriel Rodriguez and a second goal from Forlán to seal a 4-1 win and a meeting with either Chile or Brazil in the Semi-Finals.

Uruguay started the match in command, with Villarreal striker Diego Forlán having two chances to open the scoring in the opening ten minutes.

The best chance was after Cristian Gabriel Rodríguez cut the ball back to the Vilarreal striker, who scuffed his shot straight at the Venezuelan keeper Renny Vicente Vega.

Venezuela Hector Gonzalez made a good run, crossing the ball to Juan Arango, who cut back to have a close-range shot on goal, which was well blocked by Fabián Carini in the Uruguay goal.

Maldonado had a chance in the 15th minute, which was well offside as Venezuela began to get into the match.

Uruguay still were the team attacking, with Recoba and Forlan earning a host of corners, but the hosts defending well to block any shots.

Jorge Rojas was causing all kinds of problems down the left-wing for Venezuela, with his pace easily taking him past the ‘La Celeste’ defence, but his crosses, although decent, failed to get contact from his teammates.

Forlán had another superb opportunity just before the half-hour mark, when Rodríguez made another excellent run into the Venezuela penalty-area, finding Forlán, whose shot went well wide of goal.

As the half drew to a close the game started being broken up by unnecessary free-kicks being given away by both sides, with one of these, a quickly taken free-kick which led to the opening goal in the 38th minute.

The kick was taken from the halfway line by Andrés Scotti, straight to Forlan who, breaking fast beat the Venezuelan offside trap, sliding his shot past Vega to make it 1-0.

Just two minutes later Real Mallorca star Juan Arango levelled from another free-kick, with a long-range left-footed strike that deflected slightly off the wall to fly past Vega in the Uruguay goal.

The half finished 1-1, with the hosts ending the half on a high after having only been behind for two minutes. Uruguay, in contrast, seemed deflated after thinking they were well on their way to the semi-finals.

Uruguay’s Pablo Gabriel García scored in the 65th minute with a superb strike from the outside of the penalty-area which flew into the top corner to make it 2-1, and it was Uruguay from then on.

Their third goal came in the 87th minute with Cristian Gabriel Rodríguez giving a 3-1 lead to La Celeste, with a strike at the near post that left Vega with no chance.

Diego Forlán sealed a brace for himself and gave Uruguay the 4-1 win in injury-time of the match to take them into the Semi-Finals of the tournament.

Uruguay now face either Chile or Brazil in the Copa América 2007 Semi-Finals. The hosts Venezuela have seen the best run they have ever had in the tournament, and can be proud of the effort they put in to make it this far.