MONTEVIDEO -- Brazilian striker Tulio, who scored a controversial goal against Argentina in the quarterfinal, missed in the penalty shootout to give host Uruguay the Copa America.


Uruguay beat the world champions 5-3 in the penalty shootout Sunday after the two teams tied 1-1 at fulltime. Uruguay, which failed to qualify for last year's World Cup, has hosted the Copa America seven times and won on each occasion.


Against Argentina, Tulio appeared to control the ball with his hand before scoring the goal which gave Brazil a 2-2 draw and took the game to a penalty shootout which it eventually won.


Brazil outplayed Uruguay in the first half of the final, taking a 30th-minute lead through Tulio, who claimed his fifth goal in eight full internationals.


But a dreadful pitch prevented the world champion from playing to its full potential and Uruguay came back with its traditional tenacity in the second half with Pablo Bengoechea equalizing from a free kick in the 53rd minute.


For the first time in the competition, the historic Centenario stadium, venue for the first World Cup final in 1930, was full, with Uruguayan fans finally deciding to cough up for the $30 tickets.


But the pitch, boggy and uneven, was still an embarrassment to the organizers.


Uruguay was outclassed in the first half, but the home side turned the tables in the second half, cutting off the supply to Edmundo.


Bengoechea, a substitute, equalized in the 51st minute, swerving a 20-meter free kick into the top corner of Taffarel's goal.


The game became tense in the late-going, and was frequently interrupted by free kicks. In the shootout, Taffarel was unable to repeat the heroics that helped Brazil win on penalties in its quarterfinal against Argentina and beat Italy on penalties in last year's World Cup final.


In the third-place game, Colombia finally produced a performance worthy of its players' talent when it beat the United States 4-1 on Saturday, scoring more goals in one game than in the rest of the tournament.