Uruguay kicked off their Copa America campaign with a dominant 3-1 victory over Panama on Sunday in Miami.

Maximiliano Araujo opened the scoring with a well-placed shot.A late strike from Darwin Nunez doubled the lead and put Uruguay firmly in control.Matias Vina added a header in stoppage time to seemingly seal the deal. However, Panama’s Michael Murillo pulled one back in the dying seconds, adding a touch of drаmа to the final scoreline.

Uruguay, chasing a record-extending 16th Copa America title, controlled the match from start to finish. Their attacking prowess was on display with 20 shots, compared to Panama’s solitary consolation goal.

The 33,425 strong crowd at Hard Rock Stadium witnessed a strong showing from both sides. This stadium is set to play a big role in the future of American soccer, hosting the 2026 World Cup final and several other key matches.

The win puts Uruguay level on points with the United States, who defeated Bolivia earlier in the day. Both teams now turn their attention to their next fixtures. Uruguay takes on Bolivia on Thursday, while Panama faces a stern test against the US. Only the top two teams from Group C progress to the knockout stages.

This opening match was a reminder of Uruguay’s rich history in Copa America, but also highlighted their recent struggles to reach the latter stages. Panama, on the other hand, will be looking to avoid a repeat of their 2016 group stage exit in their second Copa America appearance.