Cuauhtemoc Blanco converted the penalty to equalize after Lugano was issued a red card for elbowing Gerardo Torrado, and Omar Bravo and Andres Guardado added second-half goals to assure Mexico of finishing third or better in four of the last five South American championships.

Mexico's players and coaching staff pose with their medals after they beat Uruguay in the third place playoff of the Copa America soccer tournament in Caracas July 14, 2007.[Reuters]

Sebastian Abreu gave Uruguay the lead in the 22nd minute, heading in Maximiliano Pereira's cross.

But after Blanco equalized, Bravo lifted a shot over the hands of goalkeeper Fabian Carini, who was racing off his line, in the 68th minute, and Guardado sealed the victory with a left-footed shot from 25 meters in the 76th.

Argentina and defending champion Brazil square off in the tournament final Sunday in Maracaibo.

Mexico finished third in 1997 and 1999 and lost to Colombia in the 2001 final.

El Tri, which lost to the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup two days before the start of the Copa America, has reached the semifinals five of the seven times it has been invited to the South American championships as a guest.

"This third place is a privilege and a distinction showing that Mexico is on the right track," manager Hugo Sanchez said. "My players demonstrated they are professionals and that even playing back-to-back tournaments they didn't lower their intensity."

Coming off its penalty-kick loss to Brazil in the semifinals, Uruguay struggled after Lugano's expulsion to maintain possession and feed attacker Diego Forlan.

Uruguay came to Venezuela with a strong, Europe-based team, eager to claim a record 15th title.

"We played a good game, started out dominating, and then in one minute everything changed," said Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez.

Mexico lost 3-0 to Argentina on Wednesday to set up the third-place match against the Uruguayans.

= Lineups=

URUGUAY: Fabian Carini, Andres Scotti, Diego Lugano, Carlos Valdez, Jorge Fucile, Pablo Garcia (Walter Gargano, 79), Maximiliano Pereira, Cristian Rodriguez, Ignacio Gonzalez (Fabian Canobbio, 74), Diego Forlan (Vicente Sanchez, 74), Sebastian Abreu.

MEXICO: Guillermo Ochoa, Jose Antonio Castro (Jaime Correa, 77), Francisco Rodreguez, Jhony Magallon, Fausto Pinto (Andres Guardado, 65), Gerardo Torrado, Ramon Morales, Jaime Lozano, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Nery Castillo, Omar Bravo (Luis Landin, 88).