Matt Turner made two penalty-kick shootout saves when the U.S. men’s team rallied to defeat Canada in Cincinnati on Sunday to advance to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The U.S. won the shootout 3-2 with it decided in the top of the fifth round when the shot by Canada’s Charles-Andreas Brym hit the crossbar.
Cade Cowell, Gianluca Busio and Jesus Ferreira scored in the shootout for the Americans after the game was tied 1-1 after regulation and 2-2 following 30 minutes of extra time.
Wednesday, the U.S. plays Panama in San Diego while Mexico and Jamaica meet in the other semifinal in Las Vegas.
The U.S. is trying to tie Mexico with an eighth Gold Cup championship in 17 tries. Canada is the only other country to win it (2000).
Jacob Shaffelburg gave Canada a 2-1 lead in the 109th minute but the U.S. got the equalizer five minutes later on an own goal. Dayne St. Clair made a kick save on a Busio shot but the rebound went off Canadian defender Scott Kennedy.
Brandon Vazquez of FC Cincinnati scored in the 88th minute to give the U.S. 1-0 lead before Steven Vitoria tied it in the third minute of stoppage time on a penalty kick.
Vazquez, who tied Jamaica 1-1 in the 88th minute in the tourney opener, got his head on a 30-yard ball by DeJuan Jones for his third goal in seven matches.
Soon after, U.S. defender Miles Robinson was called for a handball after video review and Vitoria scored down the middle on Canada’s first shot on goal to send the match to 30 minutes of extra time.
Late in the first half, a Canadian corner kick went to review for another possible handball on Robinson. The replay appeared to show it was a penalty but referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava saw Busio pushed to the ground by a Canadian player before the handball and ruled it a foul, negating a possible PK.
The border countries last met June 18 in Las Vegas when the U.S. won the Nations League final 2-0.
–Field Level Media
