CANADA 2-2 URUGUAY (3-4 ON PEN): SUAREZ’S LATE GOAL LEADS URUGUAY TO THIRD-PLACE COPA FINISH
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By Ajape Sefiu A.
Uruguay squared off against Canada in the 2024 Copa America third place playoff final, after losing to their respective rivals in the Semifinals.
It was Bentancur who scored first to put Uruguay in lead, Kone’s astonishing overhead kick and Jonathan David’s follow shoot help Canada overtake the score.
However, 37 year-old Luis Suarez came to the rescue for Uruguay with an equaliser in the last minute to help his side win in the shootout to finish 3rd in Copa America.
Luis Suarez’s stoppage-time equaliser sent the contest the distance, after goals from Ismael Kone and Jonathan David had cancelled out Rodrigo Bentancur’s earlier strike at the Bank of University Stadium.
Sergio Rochet then gave Uruguay the advantage in the shootout when he denied Kone’s tame penalty, meaning Davies had to score with Canada’s fifth spot-kick.
However, the Bayern Munich clipped his effort against the crossbar, with La Celeste subsequently snatching third place from under the tournament debutants’ noses.
Uruguay took the lead after just eight minutes when Sebastian Caceres diverted a corner to the feet of Bentancur who, on the turn, brilliantly lashed into the roof of the net.
Maximiliano Araujo was denied by Dayne St. Clair from a tight angle before Canada equalised from a corner of their own in the 22nd minute, when Kone beat Rochet with a delightful acrobatic flick.
La Celeste thought they had retaken the lead within a minute when Facundo Pellestri drilled home. However, the offside was raised against Darwin Nunez, who was deemed to be interfering with play during the build-up.
The Canucks then went close to completing the turnaround before half-time with Tani Oluwaseyi nodding wide while Nahitan Nandez – back from suspension – cleared Jonathan Osorio’s header off the line.
Oluwaseyi had another opportunity on the hour mark but, this time, was thwarted by Rochet after latching onto a neat throughball.
At the other end, Derek Cornelius came to Canada’s rescue with a superb last-ditch sliding challenge to deny Suarez an almost certain tap-in, while blocking Brian Rodriguez’s attempt soon after.
Davies drilled just wide, and Federico Valverde clipped the top of the crossbar before David edged Canada in front 10 minutes from time, reacting quickest to scramble the ball home after Rochet could only parry Kone’s fierce drive.
However, there was to be a late twist when, in the second minute of stoppage time, Suarez turned in Jose Gimenez’s cross to force a penalty shootout.
Rochet kept out Kone from 12 yards and, with Uruguay scoring all four of their penalties, La Celeste could celebrate after Davies’ Panenka attempt came back off the crossbar.
Uruguay spot on as they secure bronze medal
Uruguay have lifted the Copa America trophy on a record-equalling 15 occasions (level with Argentina), but they now have greater experience of contesting the third-place playoff (16 times).
La Celeste boasted a decent strike rate of nine wins from their 15 previous such matches, but they had lost three of the last four.
A fourth defeat in five appeared to be on the cards when David completed Canada’s turnaround in the 80th minute.
However, Suarez had other ideas with his last-gasp equaliser setting up a penalty shootout where, just like against Brazil in the quarter-finals, Uruguay scored four times from the spot.
With Rochet saving from Kone and Davies hitting the crossbar, La Celeste sealed third place and matched their second-best Copa America performance during the 21st century (also finishing third in 2004, while lifting the trophy seven years later).
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