Uruguay's media on Wednesday paid tribute to their national team after the win over Peru saw the 'celeste' reach the Copa America final.
Coach Oscar Tabarez's team now stand on the verge of a historic 15th triumph if they can see off either Venezuela or Paraguay in Sunday's final, and newspapers were full of praise.
"With the dreams of a nation," headlined El Observador after a triumph secured with two goals from Liverpool forward Luis Suarez.
"Uruguay are in the final - we want the Cup," said Ovacion, a supplement of the daily El Pais, which added "we are preparing the window" ready to show off the trophy.
Ovacion praised Suarez's "pure talent." The player is "a machine which generates danger."
But the media also slammed the pitch at the Estadio Unico in La Plata, a venue where Brazil had trouble as they first drew with Venezuela and then slid out on penalties to Paraguay.
"Just not good enough for a tournament of this calibre," wrote El Observador, while Ovacion said the pitch was "a disaster - the worst at the Copa America."
The stadium is in fact less than a decade old, but some energetic lobbying by the local government saw the stadium included as one of eight venues for a tournament in which only the final will be held in the capital Buenos Aires.
Ovacion drew a contrast between the pitch and the "first class" stadium.
The daily Tribuna lauded Suarez for forming a "deadly pairing" with veteran forward Diego Forlan.
Ultimas Noticias referred to the Liverpool man as "unstoppable Suarez."
Diario Deportivo noted that the record-breaking triumph which would take Uruguay one win ahead of historic rivals Argentina "is just 90 minutes away."
Uruguay, despite being the second-smallest nation in South America after Surinam with a population of around 3.5 million, have been a consistent over-achiever in footballing terms right back to their win in the first Copa America in 1916.
The celeste also won the first ever World Cup in 1930 and repeated the feat in 1950 - beating Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in the final.
Last year they were semi-finalists in South Africa.
Source: AFP
