Brazil and Colombia faced off in their final group game of Copa America, with the result setting up an intriguing clash between Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and Colombian forward Darwin Nunez in the quarter-finals. Going into the game, Brazil needed at least a point to secure their place in the next round. Alisson was tasked with keeping his Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz at bay, who had already scored in the group stage.
The match started with a bang as Barcelona winger Raphinha curled in a stunning free-kick to give Brazil the lead. However, Colombia’s James Rodriguez proved to be a threat with his dead-ball ability, coming close to catching Alisson off guard. A mistake from Alisson almost led to an equalizer from Diaz, but the goalkeeper managed to recover and make the save. Nonetheless, Daniel Munoz soon found the back of the net to level the score.
In the second half, Alisson made more comfortable saves while Colombia’s Rafael Borre wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Colombia finishing top of Group D. Brazil settled for second place, setting up a quarter-final clash with Uruguay, where Alisson will face off against Nunez.
The Copa America quarter-finals have been set, with Argentina facing Ecuador, Venezuela taking on Canada, Colombia playing against Panama, and Uruguay meeting Brazil. Liverpool’s other player at Copa America, Alexis Mac Allister, will feature for Argentina against Ecuador.
The upcoming stage of the tournament guarantees that either Alisson or Nunez will exit Copa America, potentially joining Liverpool for their pre-season tour of the United States. After international duty, players are expected to have three weeks off before returning for training under Arne Slot. If Brazil and Uruguay progress to the quarter-finals, their prospective return date would be July 29. Liverpool’s pre-season tour begins on July 23 in Pittsburgh, with friendlies against Real Betis, Arsenal, and Manchester United lined up. The final warm-up game will be against Sevilla at Anfield on August 11, and Slot will hope to have a full squad available by then.