Just when it looked like Canada had the game won, Uruguay came back and defeated Jesse Marsch’s side in the Copa America 2024 third place match thanks to some late-game heroics from Luis Suarez.
Uruguay’s disappointing semi-finals performance against Colombia shattered their hopes of making their first Copa America final in over a decade. Instead of meeting Argentina at Hard Rock Stadium tomorrow, La Celeste had to settle for a third place match tonight against Canada in front of a sparse crowd at Bank of America Stadium.
How the game unfolded
Although Canada enjoyed a prolonged spell of possession to kick off the match, it was La Celeste that struck first in the eighth minute. Fede Valverde’s well placed corner found the head of Sebastian Caceres, who flicked the ball right to the feet of an unmarked Rodrigo Bentancur at the near post for the 1-0 lead.
Jesse Marsch’s side stayed in the game, though, finding a few half-chances before scoring an unlikely equalizer in the 22nd minute. Jacob Shaffelburg sent a lofty corner into the box, and despite two Uruguayans on either side of Moise Bombito, the defender got just enough on the header to send the ball to Ismael Kone. The midfielder delivered a perfect overhead finish to beat Sergio Rochet and tie the game at 1-1.
Facundo Pellistri answered with a goal of his own just one minute later, but the winger’s effort was whistled offsides. Despite Uruguay’s almost immediate answer, Canada dominated the rest of the first half, wasting several goalscoring opportunities that would have given them the lead heading into halftime.
Most of the second half lacked the intensity of the first until the final 15 minutes of the game. Jonathan David put Canada up 2-1 in the 80th minute; Kone forced a save from Rochet that rebounded right to the striker, and the Lille man did not miss. It was none other than Luis Suarez, though, who equalized for Uruguay in the 93th minute off a perfect cross from Jose Gimenez, sending the game to a penalty shootout.
Valverde, Bentancur, and Giorgian De Arrascaeta buried their penalties, while Rochet saved Kone’s, putting Uruguay up 2-3 in the shootout. Suarez did not miss from the spot either, ultimately scoring the winner before Alphonso Davies hit the crossbar. Uruguay came out victorious, winning 4-3 on penalties to secure third place at Copa America 2024.
GK: Sergio Rochet – 6/10 – Rochet made a few massive saves in the first half to keep his side in the game, but the keeper conceded two goals for the first time all tournament. However, Rochet saved Kone’s penalty shot in the shootout, helping his side get the win tonight.
RB: Nahitan Nandez – 6/10 – Nandez returned from his one-game suspension and delivered a massive performance for La Celeste, shutting down Jacob Shaffelburg and making a goal line clearance to keep the game level in the first half.
CB: Sebastian Caceres – 6/10 – Caceres assisted Uruguay’s opening goal, but failed to close down Kone on Canada’s second goal.
CB: Jose Gimenez – 6/10 – Gimenez failed to win the header that led to Canada’s equalizer in the first half, but the defender bounced back and made several timely clearances and tackles to keep the Reds at bay. The Atletico Madrid man also assisted Suarez’s equalizer.
LB: Matias Vina – 5/10 – Vina had an up and down night. Although the defender committed clumsy challenges and wandered out of position at times, he ultimately did his job to lock down Ali Ahmed.
CM: Rodrigo Bentancur – 6/10 – Bentancur showed no signs of the injury that forced him off the pitch in the semi-finals, scoring the game’s opening goal—his second of the tournament. The midfielder also scored a penalty in the shootout.
CM: Manuel Ugarte – 5/10 – Ugarte had several uncharacteristic giveaways in the first half and struggled to keep up with Canada’s pace, forcing Marcelo Bielsa to make a change at halftime.
CM: Federico Valverde – 7/10 – Valverde’s set piece delivery led to Uruguay’s first goal, and the midfielder was denied by the woodwork in the second half. The Real Madrid man scored Uruguay’s first penalty tonight.
RW: Facundo Pellistri – 5/10 – Beyond Pellistri’s goal that was waived off, the midfielder failed to have much of an impact in the final third.
ST: Darwin Nunez – 5/10 – Despite a few flashes in the first half, the striker was relatively invisible, leading Bielsa to take him off at halftime in favor of Luis Suarez.
LW: Maxi Araujo – 5/10 – Araujo struggled to get much of anything going on the attack tonight, but the winger did well to track back on defense to cover for Vina.
Substitutes
SUB: Luis Suarez – 7/10 – Suarez played his most minutes of the tournament tonight and equalized for Uruguay in the dying minutes of the match. The striker would go on to score the winner in the penalty shootout.
SUB: Giorgian De Arrascaeta – 6/10- The midfielder had a few lackluster set piece deliveries for Uruguay tonight, but he delivered in the penalty shootout.
SUB: Cristian Olivera – 5/10 – Olivera’s fresh legs helped Uruguay’s attack in the second half, but to no avail.
SUB: Brian Rodriguez – 5/10 – Rodriguez looked active in the final third for Uruguay, but failed to convert on one of La Celeste’s best chances of the second half.
SUB: Lucas Olaza – 5/10 – Olaza failed to make an impact after coming on in the 67th minute.
Manager
Marcelo Bielsa – 6/10 – Marcelo Bielsa’s squad had almost every advantage over Canada tonight, and yet Uruguay still struggled to control the game. Sure, La Celeste equalized in the dying minutes and came out on top after a penalty shootout, but such heroics from Luis Suarez and Sergio Rochet should not have been needed against Canada. Conceding two goals to a side that has only scored two goals all tournament raises a lot of questions about Uruguay’s squad moving forward.
