Cristian Rodriguez supplies goal as Uruguay open Copa America with win

Defending champions Uruguay made a winning start to their Copa America campaign as they laboured to a 1-0 win over Jamaica in Antofagasta on Saturday.

Cristian Rodriguez's close-range finish early in the second half proved to be the only goal of the game as La Celeste stuttered their way to victory.

Uruguay, the most successful nation in the competition's history, are bidding for their 16th Copa America title having beaten Paraguay to the crown in Argentina four years ago.

With Luis Suarez still serving an international ban after biting Giorgio Chiellini in last year's World Cup, Edinson Cavani is likely to provide Uruguay's main goal threat during the tournament but he struggled to create any clear-cut chances in a first half short on quality.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker thought he had won his side a penalty midway through the first half when he appeared to be pulled back by Jamaica centre-back Michael Hector, but he was left incensed when Venezuelan referee Jose Argote waved play-on.

It took 37 minutes for Uruguay to register a shot on target and, even though Rodriguez did well to spin and get his shot away on the edge of the area, Jamaica goalkeeper Duwayne Kerr saved comfortably.

Jamaica striker Darren Mattocks had an even better chance to open the scoring barely two minutes later as he found himself through on goal but, having been forced wide by Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera, he could only hack his shot wide of the target as half-time loomed large.

AP Photo/ Luis Hidalgo

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While Uruguay found chances hard to come by in the first half they could have not asked for a better start to the second when Rodriguez put them in front just seven minutes after the restart.

The Atletico Madrid winger notched his first international goal for 19 months when he poked home after Jose Maria Gimenez had headed Nicolas Lodeiro's free kick back across goal.

Giles Barnes wasted a great opportunity to level moments later when the Uruguay defence failed to clear a lofted long ball from their penalty area.

The former Derby midfielder found himself in acres of space and in possession on the edge of the area but he snatched at his shot and, with the goal at his mercy as Muslera was out of position, the ball sailed harmlessly wide.

Barnes did somewhat better in the 75th minute when he rose highest on the edge of the penalty area to meet Lance Laing's cross but his header was never going to trouble Muslera and he was able to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal kick.

Laing was the provider once again in the 80th minute and his delightful left-wing cross fell on to the head of substitute Deshorn Brown but his far-post effort trickled wide of the target.

Muslera then had to be alert to tip Kemar Lawrence's handy free-kick over his crossbar before Laing fired his volley from the subsequent corner high and wide.

Christian Stuani missed a gilt-edged chance to make the game safe for Uruguay in the closing stages when he fired over the bar with the goal at his mercy, but it did not matter as Rodriguez's goal earlier in the half ensured Oscar Tabarez's side made a winning start to their title defence.