WHILE most of the United States was focused on a Joe Biden versus Donald Trump presidential debate on CNN, the majority of the 48,000 fans in the Meadowlands Stadium for the Copa America game between Uruguay and Bolivia happening at the same time, only wanted to see one thing.
Well, maybe two things. One — a Uruguay win. The sky blue of the smallest South American nation in this tournament, by both area and population, was the prominent colour in the stands. This kind of support contributes to Uruguay being a football force bigger than its size and made this game in New Jersey feel like a home game for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Some Bolivian flags and green shirts were dotted around the stadium but this was very much a Uruguay crowd.
The second most prominent shirt on show may even have been the distinct yellow and black stripes of the Uruguayan club side, Penarol. Other club shirts spotted included Leeds United, Inter Miami (Messi 10), Minnesota United, and the brilliantly named Bolivian side, Oriente Petrolero.
The second thing the Uruguay fans wanted to see, perhaps just as much as a win, was an appearance off the bench from Luis Suarez.
The prospect of seeing their own occasionally controversial leader meant the Uruguay fans in the stadium, and milling around New York City, were likely unaware of the presidential debate.
Many Americans may have wished they were unaware of it too, and those attending the game at the stadium that will host the 2026 World Cup final might be glad they had chosen to watch something else, as Biden dangerously handed Trump open goal after open goal.
Not quite as many openings as Bolivia gave to Uruguay, though. La Celeste could have been 3-0 up within 15 minutes. Darwin Nunez missed a couple of good chances, there was a penalty shout, and an early goal from Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri.
Pellistri’s display and prominence in this team under Bielsa will no doubt please the Penarol fans, who witnessed one of their own continue to come good at the highest level. It might also please Man United fans whose team seems in need of players of this ilk. Which means they’ll probably sell him.
Nunez’s goal eventually came 21 minutes in, and at that time it looked like Bolivia would be on the end of a record defeat given the ease with which Uruguay were getting good chances on goal.
But the third goal didn’t come until the 77th minute, from Maximiliano Araujo, swiftly followed by a fourth, scored by Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde.
By this time, the chants of Suarez’s name were as loud as the goal celebrations, and when he entered the field in the 83rd minute, the cheers were as if a goal had been scored.
Suarez had remained on the bench for the opening game against Panama in Miami, but Bielsa didn’t disappoint the crowd in New Jersey.
The appearance of Uruguay’s all-time record goalscorer rounded the night off, as did a fifth goal, scored by Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.
The convincing win means Uruguay will likely top their group whatever happens in their final group game against the United States on Monday.
Bielsa is not getting ahead of himself, though, and knows much tougher tests lie just around the corner.
“Without underestimating the strengths of the two teams we have faced so far, those teams are not among the main competitors for the title,” Bielsa said after the game.
“Respectfully, I think that there are some significant steps to be taken and drawing conclusions from tomorrow’s game would be wrong.
“Winning two games without facing the best teams in the competition does not allow us to define ourselves as one of the best teams — that is a long way from being confirmed.”
It remains to be seen how much of a test the flaky US team will pose, but that final group game aside, Uruguay will face the runner-up of Group D in the last 16, which at the moment looks like it could be Brazil, who could only draw with Costa Rica in their opening game.
However Uruguay progress through this tournament, the layout of the draw dictates they will, sadly, not play another game at the Meadowlands.
But regardless of where these games take place, this smallest of Conmebol nations will take its outsized support.
