Luis Suarez had a reduced role at Copa America but naturally came through when Uruguay needed him most.
The most prolific scorer in Uruguay national team history scored a late, match-tying goal to keep the Uruguayans alive and his side prevailed 4-3 in penalty kicks to defeat Canada on Saturday night at Charlotte in the Copa’s third-place match.
The teams played to a 2-2 tie in regulation before the penalty-kick round. Uruguay’s Sergio Rochet made a key save on Ismael Kone’s stutter-step shot, and Canada’s Alphonso Davies hit the center of the crossbar on the final shot of the shootout with the net wide open.
Rodrigo Bentancur also scored in regulation for Uruguay. Jonathan David and Kone scored regulation-time goals for Canada, which was in the Copa America field for the first time.
Suarez had the biggest goal of the night in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, extending his Uruguay national team record to 69 goals.
Suarez made a run toward the net and received a pass from Jose Gimenez. He was wide open and easily sent a left-footed shot past Canada goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and into the left corner of the net.
When the match ended, the 37-year-old Suarez grabbed the game ball as a souvenir with his future being uncertain.
“I think you have to enjoy every moment, every stage, you don’t know if it can be the last,” said Suarez, who also plays for Inter Miami of MLS. “If I am not like that, I would not be at the age I am here competing.”
Suarez didn’t play in two Copa America matches and played just 32 total minutes across three others.
But Suarez, who played his first match for Uruguay’s international team in 2007, was ready when he was subbed in at the outset of the second half against Canada.
“It’s hard to get to a game of third and fourth place motivated, but the pride we had to have today is to compete to defend the jersey of our country, which represents us a lot,” Suarez said. “We all suffered the defeat the other day (against Colombia in the semifinals), there was no better way to end with a win today, finish third and take the positives and correct the negatives.”
Said Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa: “It is very well known what (Suarez) has done throughout his career and having shared this time with him, I believe he is a top-notch player and a great teammate.”
Canada had taken a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute and only needed to survive five minutes of stoppage time when regulation ended.
But there would be no epic upset victory.
“The players are disappointed in the way that we gave the match away,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said. “I was very positive with them, though. We’ve been together for six weeks. And to come into this match, put some new players on the pitch, play for me against one of the best teams in the world and to totally dominate the match, create big chances, we were too much for them for most of the match.”
Suarez and Bentancur also made penalty kicks in the match-ending round. The other Uruguayans to convert were Federico Valverde and Giorgian de Arrascaeta.
Converting penalty kicks for Canada were David, Moise Bombito and Mathieu Choiniere.
Rochet had gone diving to his right on the final kick, and a stunned Davies could only watch the ball carom off the bar.
Canada’s 2-1 lead came about when the Uruguay defense gave space to Kone, who ripped a right-footed blast that was saved by Rochet. The rebound bounced out to David, who slid a right-footed shot just past the left hand of Rochet.
But Uruguay pressed late, and St. Clair made a huge save on Suarez’s close-range left-footer just seconds before the match-tying goal.
Uruguay scored in the eighth minute after a corner kick rattled around and landed at Bentancur’s feet. He turned and ripped a left-footed shot high into the net.
Canada knotted the score in the 22nd minute after a corner kick. The ball found its way to Kone, whose right-footed half-bicycle boot went into the net.
One minute later, Uruguay had a break, and a wide-open Facundo Pellistri received the ball and kicked a right-footed shot into the left corner of the net. But Maximiliano Araujo was called offside, negating the goal.
Argentina faces Colombia in Sunday’s championship match at Miami Gardens, Fla.
–Field Level Media
