Copa America bracket: Brazil meets Uruguay in marquee quarterfinal

Now the real fun starts.

The Copa America knockout bracket was finalized Tuesday as group play concluded. Brazil secured the last quarterfinal berth, finishing second in Group D after a frenetic 1-1 draw with Colombia. The latter, which extended its unbeaten run to 26 matches, topped the quartet.

Colombia's reward was to avoid a quarterfinal meeting with Uruguay. Instead, Brazil will take on Marcelo Bielsa's high-octane side in a clash featuring two nations with a combined 24 Copa America titles. Star winger Vinicius Junior will miss the match through suspension after picking up his second yellow card of the group stage Tuesday.

The tournament format means two teams who met in the group stage could renew hostilities in the semifinals. Groups A and B are on one side of the bracket, while Groups C and D make up the opposite side.

After one day off, the tournament will resume Thursday, when reigning champion Argentina takes on Ecuador. Lionel Messi, nursing a leg injury, returned to training with his teammates ahead of the match, but his status for the contest remains unclear.

Copa debutant Canada, flying the flag for CONCACAF along with Panama after the United States and Mexico - among others - were eliminated in the opening round, will look to make more history when it plays Venezuela on Friday.

Quarterfinal schedule:

• July 4: Argentina vs. Ecuador (9 p.m. ET)
• July 5: Venezuela vs. Canada (9 p.m. ET)
• July 6: Colombia vs. Panama (6 p.m. ET)
• July 6: Uruguay vs. Brazil (9 p.m. ET)

The remaining eight teams are seeking a place in the tournament final, which is being held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 14.