Jose Gimenez and Uruguay Are a Threat for Copa America Giants

Uruguay is not a big country. Around 3.5 million people live there. By contrast, London has more than eight million inhabitants. Yet La Celeste have a hugely impressive record when it comes to football.

Thanks to Jose Gimenez's header in the first half of their game against Paraguay, the defending champions of this tournament have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Copa America.

The Atletico Madrid centre-back rose highest to nod home a corner, putting his side ahead. Even though Paraguay equalised and Uruguay ultimately finished third in the group, the draw was enough to see Uruguay reach the next stage of the competition.

Paraguay have gone 14 games without a win against Uruguay in the Copa America, and the last final of this tournament was contested between these two teams.

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Thanks to goals from Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan, Uruguay won that game, but they are now reliant on Edinson Cavani, who has yet to find the net in Chile.

Forlan has retired from international duty and Suarez is serving a suspension for biting, so the pressure is piled on to Cavani's shoulders, but it doesn't seem like he can take the strain.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored 31 goals for his club last season but has been wholly unimpressive in this tournament, missing two fine chances against Paraguay.

After Diego Rolan's mishit shot fell to him, Cavani had a great chance to strike and put Uruguay 2-0 up, but he prodded his effort wide of the far post.

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Within a few minutes, Paraguay had equalised through a Lucas Barrios header from a corner, almost a mirror image of Uruguay's opener.

Cavani had an effort from close range in the second half too, but his strike fell straight to veteran goalkeeper Justo Villar, who was collecting his 109th cap.

Uruguay were left frustrated by their star striker's inability to find the net, and the back-up options didn't offer much, either.

Hull City's Abel Hernandez started the game but was substituted at half-time after a frustrating 45 minutes. One strike over the bar, one yellow card and another unpunished foul was the sum total of his efforts.

Espanyol's Christian Stuani replaced him and missed two good chances in the second half while Oscar Tabarez's side toiled.

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It was Gimenez, the Atletico Madrid centre-back, who did the damage. He rose above Paulo Da Silva to meet the ball and head it down off the turf and up into the top-left corner.

The Rojiblancos star had to lead the defence at the tender age of 20 after Diego Godin was ruled out for collecting two yellow cards in the first two games of the tournament.

His club team-mate is one of the finest centre-backs around, and in Gimenez, Uruguay have a similar type of player with his whole career ahead of him.

Gimenez and Godin, who will be back for the quarter-finals, have a lot of spirit, and it is this that has helped Uruguay over the years.

Andre Penner/Associated Press

They have more won Copa Americas than Argentina and Brazil, yet nobody would say they are better than either of the two South American giants.

Argentina beat them 1-0 earlier in the tournament, but it was a tight game, and they wouldn't look forward to meeting Tabarez's side again later on.

Gimenez is a fine player, one who has a lot of potential, and when he is reunited with Godin, they will be a formidable partnership.

Nobody will be looking forward to facing Uruguay in the next round of the tournament despite the fact that they finished third in their group.