Uruguay secured a 4-3 victory over Canada in the Copa America third-place playoff on Saturday, thanks to Sergio Rochet’s pivotal save during the penalty shootout.
Uruguay faced a daunting challenge in the Copa America’s third-place playoff against Canada, finding themselves trailing 2-1 in the 80th minute after Jonathan David’s goal.
However, a dramatic twist unfolded when Luis Suarez, subbed in during the second half, rescued his team with an injury-time equalizer, sending the match to penalties.
In the shootout, Uruguay prevailed as Canada’s Ismael Kone had his penalty saved and Alphonso Davies missed with a panenka attempt, clinching victory for the South Americans.
The game had started promisingly for Uruguay, with Rodrigo Bentancur scoring early on after a setup from Sebastian Caceres.
Despite Uruguay’s dominance early on, Canada equalized through Kone’s inventive finish following Moise Bombito’s header from Jacob Shaffelburg’s corner.
Uruguay thought they had retaken the lead shortly after, but Facundo Pellistri’s goal was disallowed for offside.
Canada then missed crucial chances before halftime, with Tani Oluwaseyi and Jonathan Osorio both failing to convert close-range opportunities.
The second half saw numerous substitutions disrupting the flow of the game, with Canada taking a late lead through David’s finish after Kone’s powerful shot was parried by Uruguay’s goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.
In a surprising turn, Canada’s aggressive approach in search of a decisive goal backfired, allowing Uruguay to exploit gaps in their defense for Suarez’s late heroics, ensuring Uruguay’s victory in a thrilling encounter.
