Uruguay got the defence of their Copa América title off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory over debutants Jamaica on Saturday.
A solitary goal from veteran midfielder Cristian RodrÃguez ensured La Celeste emerged triumphant at Estadio Regional Calvo y Bascuñán in Antofagasta.
Óscar Tabárez’s side were far from convincing, though, and the Reggae Boyz had enough chances to take something from the Group C encounter.
But they were unable to breach a Uruguay back-line marshalled by Atletico Madrid duo Diego GodÃn and Jose MarÃa Giménez as the holders did just enough to claim the three points.
The holders saw optimistic appeals for a penalty waved away on the quarter-hour as Carlos Sanchez’s attempted cross struck Kemar Lawrence on the arm inside the box from point-blank range.
However, for most of the opening half the greater threat came from invitees Jamaica with Uruguay unable to offer any meaningful service to their attacking players.
Indeed, the first real opportunity fell to the Caribbean outfit on 39 minutes when Darren Mattocks latched on to Simon Dawkins’ long ball and cut cleverly between Giménez and GodÃn, only to then completely miscue his shot on goal from 12 yards.
That seemed to spark Uruguay into life and, just a minute later, Edinson Cavani thought he should have been awarded a penalty when he was challenged by the retreating Michael Hector having been put through by Nicolás Lodeiro.
Shortly afterwards the PSG striker spurned another very presentable chance, this time firing wide on the volley after Maxi Pereira had found him six yards out with his cut-back.
Following a stop-start beginning to the second half, Uruguay hit the front on 51 minutes after Hector was penalised for a foul on Diego Rolan.
From the subsequent free-kick floated in by Lodeiro, Giménez got up well to nod back across the box and RodrÃguez guided home a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner for his ninth international goal.
Jamaica had a number of opportunities to respond, on the hour mark Maxi Pereira’s clearance fell straight to Giles Barnes but the Houston Dynamo man’s first-time effort drifted wide of the target with Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera stranded out of position.
Barnes would later glance a header wide with Muslera again scrambling across his goal, while substitute Deshorn Brown missed with an even better headed chance from Lance Laing’s cross as Uruguay looked increasingly rattled in the closing stages.
La Celeste should have killed the match in the final minute only for Christian Stuani to send his close-range volley bouncing over the bar, but they held on to seal a rather flawed success.
Bron: ca2015.com
