CHARLOTTE.- ‘El Pistolero’ Luis Suárez had one last bullet to force penalties and Uruguay obtained third place in the 2024 Copa América in the United States on Saturday by beating Canada 4-3 on penalties, after a 2-2 draw in the 90 minutes.
Goalkeeper Sergio Rochet blocked Ismaël Koné’s shot for Canada’s third penalty at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Alphonso Davies hit the crossbar for the fifth, while Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Suárez were impeccable with their takes for Uruguay.
Bentancur scored for the Celeste in the 8th minute and Suárez in the 90+2 minute in regulation time, while Koné scored for the Canucks in the 21st minute and Jonathan David scored for the Canucks in the 79th minute.
World and continental champions Argentina and Colombia will play the final on Sunday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
– A brave debutant –
Although speed on the counterattack had been its greatest asset in the Copa América, Canada showed a different side in the first half, daring to play, to tame the game, to triangulate with quality.
The debutant team of American coach Jesse Marsch had the courage to face one of the great historical winners of the tournament, with 15 titles that put them at the top of the list of winners together with Argentina.
Marsch surprised with his lineup, giving starters to players who had received little playing time or had not even played a minute, such as goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, centre-back Luc de Fougerolles and forward Tani Oluwaseyi.
The match started well for Uruguay, with Bentancur scoring after a corner taken by Federico Valverde. Sebastián Cáceres headed the ball and it ended up at the feet of the Tottenham midfielder, who turned and kicked the ball to quickly open the scoring.
However, a defensive oversight, with Matías Viña lost and a moment of doubt from Rochet, represented a 180-degree turn with Koné’s goal.
The Olympique de Marseille player made an unorthodox shot, an aerial acrobatics that served to equalise.
With his back to the goal, he unleashed a right-footed shot in the air as if it were a martial arts kick and the ball went over Rochet.
Although Uruguay’s reaction was immediate, with a goal disallowed by Facundo Pellistri for offside, Canada began to gain boldness.
It was his moment, with good judgment from Jonathan Osorio and the excesses of Ahmed and the speedy Jacob Schaffelburg.
Uruguay were saved by Oluwaseyi’s lack of accuracy, with two clear chances missed after perfect crosses, and Nahitan Nandez. Nandez cleared Jonathan Osorio’s header off the goal line after Rochet’s rebound after the Canadian midfielder failed to make a one-on-one attempt.
– Cold blood –
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa made his move at the start of the second half.
Luis Suárez, applauded by the crowd, came onto the pitch alongside Giorgian de Arrascaeta to shake things up and Brian Rodríguez would later join the equation that Bielsa proposed.
The changes were effective in pushing Canada back, with Suarez active, although he struggled to find a comfortable shot. The Americans then returned to their strategy of the entire tournament: waiting and counterattacking at the same time, and stopped making concessions with the introduction of regular starters like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David.
Valverde sent a ball into the post in the 78th minute.
Koné received the ball in midfield on a counterattack, with space to run and time to think and prepare his shot. Rochet blocked it, but without luck, as David pushed the ball in, taking advantage of the rebound.
Uruguay seemed doomed, but Suárez still had a bullet in the chamber. De Arrascaeta made the pass, José María Giménez crossed and Suárez drew the ball. His goal, at 37 years, five months and 20 days, gave Uruguay life again.
And he didn’t forgive in the penalties either.
