Uruguay beat Canada on penalties to finish 3rd at Copa America

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Updated: Jul 13, 2024, 11:11 pm

Uruguay beat Canada on penalties in the Copa America third-place playoff match on Saturday after a 2-2 draw at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Canada's Ismaël Koné had a tame spot-kick saved by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet and Alphonso Davies hit the crossbar as Uruguay won the shootout 4-3.

Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Luis Suárez converted Uruguay's attempts past goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair while Jonathan David, Moïse Bombito and Mathieu Choinière made their kicks for Canada, who went first in the shootout.

In the first half, Rodrigo Bentancur swivelled and smashed home a knock-down from a corner to give Uruguay the lead in the eighth minute, but Kone scored with an acrobatic scissor kick to level the scores 14 minutes later.

Canada went ahead in the 80th minute when Kone unleashed a long-range shot that Rochet parried, before Jonathan David pounced to slot home the rebound.

Luis Suárez's late goal helped Uruguay beat Canada to finish third at the Copa América.
Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Uruguay levelled through all-time leading goalscorer Suárez, who timed his run in the 92nd minute perfectly to get on the end of a José María Giménez cross and score his 69th international goal to force a penalty shootout.

The game was played on the same field where Uruguay players entered the stands and fought with Colombia fans following a 1-0 semifinal loss on Wednesday night.

This game was much more subdued than the heated semifinal, with an announced attendance of 24,386, compared to more than 70,000 -- the overwhelming majority rooting on Colombia -- on Wednesday night.

Canada, who hired American Jesse Marsch as coach in May, will consider the tournament one of their best performances since winning the 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup. The Canadians reached the World Cup for the second time in 2022, the first since 1986.

On Sunday, defending champions Argentina take on Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, to decide the continental title. Argentina and Uruguay are tied for the most Copa titles with 15 each.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.