'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Uruguay made a massive statement of intent as the 2011 champions battered 10-man Ecuador with four unanswered goals.
Nicolas Lodeiro opened the scoring after a spectacular piece of individual skill to evade his markers, while the much-vaunted strike pair of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez piled on soon after Jose Quinteros was sent off for nasty challenge in the 24th minute of the match.
Staring at an ugly rout, La Tricolor were handed some respite after the break as the Sky Blues rested on their laurels. But Aruto Mina's own goal blooper deep into the second half added insult to Ecuador's misery.
Here are some observations from the Mineirao mauling.
Also see : Copa America Standings, EPL Transfer News.
#1 Ecuador were less than impressive
To put it succinctly, Ecuador performed the worst by any side so far in the tournament.
Forget scoring, the Amarillos didn't create a single meaningful chance throughout 90 minutes, whereas making rash and reckless challenges was their roaring credo. Just look at that aerial 'tackle' by Quinteros on Laxalt.
After he was sent off for that challenge, this match was inevitably turning into a one-way traffic as La Celeste made the most out of the numeric advantage and plonked upon a hapless Ecuador.
Manager Hernan Gomez has to shoulder some blame too, as he committed a mindless folly by taking off the brightest spark in the side Angel Mena in the immediate aftermath of the sending off. This robbed La Tricolor of a creative hub, which explains the subsequent enervation of the attacking vanguard.
Many more goals were touted to follow after the break, but Ecuador were lucky that Uruguay took their foot off the gas as they already held a 3-0 advantage by then. However, a laughable own goal by Mina late on, when he accidentally knocked a cross into his own net, pretty much summed their night.
#2 Cavani's overhead kick adds to the growing golazo count
What's up with the Copa America this year? Almost every match so far has produced a stunning goal that looks set to contend for the goal of the tournament prize.
Brazil's Everton Soares sent in a delicate in-swinger against Bolivia on the opening night, before Roger Martinez whipped an outrageous effort for Colombia in the 2-0 win over Argentina.
Derlis Gonzalez of Paraguay and Qatar's Ali Almoez added two more equally ferocious strikes, and now, Cavani joins the party.
The PSG star, often a wellspring of goods for the Sky Blues on occasions like this, acrobatically connected to Diego Godin's headed cross to score a blinder, and doubled Uruguay's cushion.
This came only moments after Quinteros was sent off, so there was a sense of inevitability of him striking anyways. However, the quality of the strike was top notch and executed with such poise and perfection.
So that's five golazos with only five games in! Imagine at this rate, the CONMEBOL are going to have a treacherous time in deciding the goal of the COPA America tournament at the end.
#3 Antonio Valencia shows why Manchester United gave him the cold shoulder
The former Red Devils skipper was left out in the cold for a vast majority of last season, first by Jose Mourinho and then by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he started only five Premier League games in all. Injuries didn't help his cause either.
This prompted the 33-year old to announce his departure from the club while Manchester United also refused to trigger an option in his contract that could have extended his stay.
With today's abject performance, Valencia showed why.
Operating from a rather right-wing position than his usual right-back role at United, he was virtually non-existent in the attack. Sloppy in possession and labored in his passes, Valencia was also well off the pace. He was the primary reason why Ecuador's attack was so easily nipped in the bud by Uruguay.
The departing Manchester United fullback offered virtually nothing in the attack: zero shots attempted. However, he did make eight aerial duels on the night and lost three duels. However, this statistic did not have impact on the result.
Whether it is the lack of game time or simply the inability to adapt to a more attacking role, Valencia looked desperately out of depth. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to suggest he's past his prime.
