Luis Suárez showed his ability to make crucial plays once again.
The 37-year-old, Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer, equalized the game in stoppage time during the second half. Uruguay then defeated Canada 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw on Saturday night to secure third place in the Copa America.
Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet saved Ismaël Koné’s penalty kick, which was weak after the shooter hesitated, during Canada’s third attempt. Alphonso Davies hit Canada’s fifth and final kick off the crossbar.
Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Suárez all successfully converted their penalty kicks for Uruguay past goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. Jonathan David, Moïse Bombito, and Mathieu Choinière scored their kicks for Canada, which took the first shots in the shootout.
“Uruguay is one of the top three teams in this tournament, considering it includes teams from Central, North, and South America, so finishing third gives us reason to be optimistic,” said Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa through an interpreter.
However, Bielsa expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance, noting he may have misjudged their fatigue after playing with only two days of rest.
“We barely deserved the draw,” Bielsa remarked. After the match, Bielsa praised Suárez’s “physical abilities and mental sharpness” for his 69th international goal, scored swiftly after a pass from José María Giménez.
“His career achievements are widely recognized, and having shared this time with him, I believe he is an exceptional player and teammate,” Bielsa commented on Suárez.
Canada, which appointed American Jesse Marsch as coach in May, views this tournament as one of its strongest performances since winning the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Canadians qualified for the World Cup for the second time in 2022, marking their first appearance since 1986.
Canada made six changes to their starting lineup for the semifinals, while Uruguay made two. Alphonso Davies, Canada’s standout player, came on in the 62nd minute after recovering from a leg injury sustained in the semifinals.
Marsch stated that his players made a significant impression and have progressed beyond his expectations at this stage.
“The players are disappointed with how we let the match slip away,” Marsch commented. “But I remain positive with them. We’ve been together for about six weeks, and to dominate against one of the top teams in the world — we were in control for most of the match — is quite impressive.”
He pointed out that his team gave away possession too frequently in the final minutes. “We should have been able to close out the game,” Marsch noted. “But we need to develop the savvy to manage those situations, and we will.”
Rodrigo Bentancur scored first for Uruguay in the eighth minute, but Canada took a 2-1 lead with goals from Ismaël Koné in the 22nd minute and Jonathan David in the 80th minute.
During the penalty shootout, Dayne St. Clair received a yellow card in an unusual incident while Sergio Rochet was preparing to face Moïse Bombito’s penalty kick, possibly for attempting to distract the goalkeeper.
The match was held at the same venue where Uruguay players engaged in a confrontation with Colombia fans in the stands following their 1-0 semifinal defeat on Wednesday night.
This match was quieter compared to the intense semifinal, with an announced crowd of 24,386, much fewer than the over 70,000 spectators mostly cheering for Colombia on Wednesday night.
Defending champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will face Colombia for the title on Sunday night in Miami Gardens, Florida. Argentina and Uruguay have the most Copa titles, both with 15 each.
Uruguay took the lead when Sebastián Cáceres headed in a corner kick to Bentancur, who controlled the ball and turned as Luc de Fougerolles reacted slowly, then shot the ball over St. Clair for his third international goal and second of the tournament.
Canada equalized 14 minutes later when Bombito won a header against Giménez, and the ball bounced toward the goal. Koné then executed a bicycle kick over Rochet for his third international goal.
Facundo Pellistri scored a goal in the 23rd minute, but it was disallowed for offside.
Canada went ahead when Rochet saved Koné’s initial shot, but the rebound went to David. He then slotted a right-footed shot just inside the post for his 28th international goal. David had entered the game in the 67th minute.
