Brazil's goalkeeper Alison blocks the penalty kick by Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at Arena do Gremio in P...
Brazil's goalkeeper Alison blocks the penalty kick by Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Thursday, June 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Brazil's soccer players react during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match against Paraguay at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Thursda...
Brazil's soccer players react during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match against Paraguay at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Thursday, June 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Brazil's Philippe Coutinho, left, falls as he fights for the ball with Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the...
Brazil's Philippe Coutinho, left, falls as he fights for the ball with Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Thursday, June 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Edison Vara)
Brazil's Everton, left, vies for the ball with Paraguay's Juan Escobar, center, during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the Arena do Gremio...
Brazil's Everton, left, vies for the ball with Paraguay's Juan Escobar, center, during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Thursday, June 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Brazil's Philippe Coutinho strikes the ball challenged by Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the Arena do Gre...
Brazil's Philippe Coutinho strikes the ball challenged by Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Thursday, June 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Edison Vara)
Brazil's Roberto Firmino, left heads the ball challenged by Paraguay's Bruno Valdez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the Arena do Gr...
Brazil's Roberto Firmino, left heads the ball challenged by Paraguay's Bruno Valdez during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Thursday, June 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Edison Vara)
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) — Goalkeeper Alisson made a save and Gabriel Jesus scored the decisive penalty as Brazil defeated 10-man Paraguay 4-3 in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals of the Copa América on Thursday.
Alisson dived to his left to stop the initial penalty taken by defender Gustavo Gómez, and Gabriel Jesus sealed the victory to lead Brazil to its first semifinal appearance in the South American tournament since 2007.
Derlis González also missed from the spot for Paraguay, while Roberto Firmino failed to score for Brazil. Both players sent their shots wide.
Willian, Marquinhos and Philippe Coutinho converted their penalties for Brazil, while Miguel Almirón, Bruno Valdez and Rodrigo Rojas netted for Paraguay.
The visitors had held on to a 0-0 draw in regulation despite having a defender sent off in the 58th minute at the Arena Grêmio. In Copa America quarterfinals, extra time is not played and the match proceeded straight to penalties.
Brazil had been eliminated by Paraguay the last two times the teams met in the Copa América quarterfinals, in 2011 and 2015, both times in penalty shootouts.
Brazil will face either Venezuela or Argentina, which play on Friday in Rio de Janeiro.
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