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Messi inconsolable crying in the field after the game Zoom Image
Muslera, the uruguayan goalkeeper...a heroe Zoom Image
Tevez, on as a late substitute, saw Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera save the third Argentinian attempt as the albiceleste crashed out to extend a trophy drought going back to 1993.
“This was like a final. We played an Argentine side with a fantastic attack and had to scrap - but we have put out our biggest rivals,” said Uruguay defender Diego Lugano, although Brazil, who meet Paraguay on Sunday, are another tough nut still alive.
Diego Perez had given Uruguay a fifth-minute lead but Gonzalo Higuain levelled 12 minutes later.
Thereafter, a gritty encounter failed to produce further breakthroughs, despite the additional half-hour, with both sides having a goal chalked off for offside and also ending the contest with 10 men.
Perez was sent off on 38 minutes for a second yellow card and then Argentina lost skipper Javier Mascherano in the 86th minute for a bad tackle from behind on Luis Suarez.
Lionel Messi strove manfully to provide the creative spark to snatch a win against Diego Forlan's Uruguayans in a battle of two sides which have won the event a record 14 times each.
But the Barcelona man was frustrated throughout despite creating the Higuain goal.
And after Messi and Forlan had converted their kicks before Tevez fluffed his lines, Martin Caceres drove home the winning penalty as Uruguay moved into a semi-final against Peru, conqueror of Colombia.
Argentina thus fell victim to the curse of the Elephants Graveyard, the nickname of Colon club's Santa Fe stadium, scene of many a domestic shock in the past.
Peru had provided a shock of its own in seeing off favoured Colombia 2-0 in extra-time and will meet Uruguay next Wednesday (AEST) at La Plata.
In the remaining quarter-finals tomorrow, the Brazilians take on Paraguay at La Plata while Chile go up against surprise package Venezuela in San Juan near the Chilean border. (AFP)
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