July 17, 2011 -- Updated 1527 GMT (2327 HKT)
Argentina substitute Carlos Tevez, left, sees his penalty kick saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
(CNN) -- Uruguay hero Fernando Muslera was delighted after his team stunned hosts Argentina in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals of the Copa America tournament, despite having a player sent off.
The goalkeeper saved a spot-kick by striker Carlos Tevez to earn "La Celeste" a clash with Peru, who beat Colombia 2-0 after extra-time in Cordoba earlier on Saturday.
The Uruguayans, who reached the last four at the 2010 World Cup, will be seeking to make the Copa final for the first time since 1999 when they line up in La Plata on Tuesday.
The upset victory against close neighbors Argentina came exactly 61 years after Uruguay won the World Cup by stunning Brazil in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.
Peru shock Colombia to reach last four
Argentina substitute Carlos Tevez, left, sees his penalty kick saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
"We are very, very happy to make such a big step in the tournament," Muslera, 25, told reporters. "I hope I have just played one of the best matches in my short career. I'm very happy for all the people in Uruguay. This team deserves this win.
"We were better than Argentina, even playing with 10 men. Then, penalties are just a matter of luck."
His teammate Diego Lugano added: "We fought more than we played. There is a long way to go yet. We have not achieved anything, but we defeated the most difficult rival."
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Uruguay shocked the home crowd in Santa Fe when Diego Perez scored in the fifth minute after goalkeeper Sergio Romero dived to block Martin Caceres' header from a free-kick by Diego Forlan.
Striker Gonzalo Higuain equalized 12 minutes later from a cross by Lionel Messi in a move combining the stars of rival Spanish clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Perez went from hero to villain just when he received a second booking six minutes before halftime, but Argentina could not capitalize on the numerical advantage -- which was leveled just before the end of regulation play when midfielder Javier Mascherano was also sent off for a second yellow card.
Higuain could have won it in extra-time but hit the post with only Muslera in his way, and the goalkeeper took center stage in the shootout when he saved Argentina's third attempt from substitute Tevez.
Uruguay won it 5-4 with successful spot-kicks from Forlan, Luis Suarez, Andres Scotti, Walter Gargano and Caceres.
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Messi, Nicolas Burdisso, sub Javier Pastore and Higuain were on target for Argentina, runners-up the last two times in 2003 and 2007 and winners most recently in 1991 and 1993.
Coach Sergio Batista said he had no intention of resigning just five months after taking over team affairs on a permanent basis.
"That's not on my mind, the pain of defeat is here, but you have to keep working," he told reporters.
"When my work began ... we were intending to win the Copa America, but our main goal is the World Cup. I do not think it was a failure, we did everything possible to try to win the cup, but we couldn't. Failure is a very strong word, we worked to win the competition."
In Sunday's quarterfinals, defending champions Brazil take on Paraguay in La Plata and Chile play Venezuela in San Juan.
Credit: CNN (www.cnn.com)
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