Uruguay opened their Copa America campaign with a 3-1 victory over Panama on Sunday, but coach Marcelo Bielsa was quick to temper expectations and said they must continue to improve.
Uruguay's victory left them tied with the United States on three points. The United States beat Bolivia 2-0 in the day's other Group C match.
Marcelo Bielsa's side were rewarded for their blistering early pace when Araujo fired home with a sublime strike from the edge of the area in the 16th minute.
Panama grew in the game after the break and wasted several opportunities to get back into the contest.
José Fajardo shot wide in the 52nd minute after a defensive error by Mathías Olivera, while José Rodríguez tested Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet with a fierce shot from distance.
Asked what he told his team at half-time, Panama coach Thomas Christiansen told reporters: “I told them they had to be brave.
“That they have to increase their level of confidence. That they are capable of doing what they did in the second half. And after the goal, like Uruguay, we generated opportunities.”
Uruguay were on the ropes for much of the second half but Darwin Núñez, who had already squandered a number of chances, calmed nerves in the 85th minute with a coolly struck volley into the bottom corner after a rebound fell kindly for he.
In a frantic period during stoppage time, Viña rose highest to head Uruguay's third from a set piece before Michael Amir Murillo scored a consolation goal for Panama after clipping his left foot and turning his shot past Rochet.
Uruguay's all-time leading scorer, Luis Suarez, 37, was an unused substitute.
Bielsa took charge of Uruguay in May last year and guided them through a transition period in which veterans Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin retired, and all-time leading scorer Suárez looked set to do the same. same soon.
The 15-time Copa América winners have been in excellent form over the past few months, beating Argentina and Brazil in World Cup qualifiers.
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Those results have raised hopes of a record 16th continental crown for “the light blue“But Bielsa said they were going game by game.
“As far as Uruguay's aspirations are concerned, we will see them and build them game by game,” he told reporters.
“My expectation is that each game will help us improve our level more and more. Uruguay has players of a very good level and we have to see if I can build with those players.
“The first half gave us an advantage over our rival. We should have scored more.
“In the second half there were 15 minutes in which we played very poorly. They dominated the ball during that time and created opportunities in which we were only winning by one goal and if they had scored, it would have been difficult for us.
“We missed five goals and scored one in the first half and then we missed five and scored two in the second half.”
Uruguay will face Bolivia in New Jersey on Thursday.
