Jul 13, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Uruguay team photo during the first half against Canada at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
(Reuters) -Uruguay beat Canada on penalties in the Copa America third-place playoff match on Saturday after Luis Suarez scored a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Rodrigo Bentancur also scored in regulation time for Uruguay, while Jonathan David and Ismael Kone scored for Canada, who finished fourth in their Copa America debut.
Canada's Ismael Kone had a tame spot-kick saved by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet and Canadian defender Alphonso Davies hit the crossbar as Uruguay won the shootout 4-3.
Suarez and Bentancur also converted their penalty kicks in the shootout.
"It was a hard blow, the previous match, but we knew we had to be mentally prepared because it was not the same to finish third than fourth," Rochet told DSports.
"We made a great effort against Canada but the wear and tear was noticeable. We tied it with a great goal by Suarez and we finished it off in penalties."
In the first half, 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.
Right after Canada's goal, Uruguay had a break and Facundo Pellistri slotted his right-footed shot into the bottom corner, but Maximiliano Araujo was deemed to be offside in the build-up and the goal was disallowed.
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.
Uruguay pressed for an equaliser and Canada goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made a huge save on Suarez's close-range left-foot effort seconds before the equaliser.
Their pressure paid off when all-time leading goalscorer Suarez timed his run perfectly in the 92nd minute to get on the end of a Jose Maria Gimenez pass and score his 69th international goal to force a penalty shootout.
"You can play a good game and end up losing it on penalties. Everyone who stepped up to take a penalty kicked it with confidence and where they thought it would go in," Canada's Davies told TSN.
"Overall, I'm proud of my team. To come in this competition and compete with very good teams, it's an achievement that will live with us forever."
On Sunday, defending champions Argentina take on Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, to decide the continental title.
(Reporting by Field Level Media, additional reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard and Christian Schmollinger)
