Football

Canada's historic run in the Copa America continued on Friday as they reached the semi-finals after a thrilling 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Venezuela. The match, which ended 1-1 after regulation time, saw Canada display relentless energy and determination to overcome a resilient Venezuelan side.Jacob Shaffelburg gave Canada an early lead in the 13th minute, but Salomon Rondon equalized for Venezuela in the 64th minute. Both teams failed to score from the spot twice in the shootout, leaving it at 3-3 after five penalties each.Canada goalkeeper Max Crepeau, who had made a costly error for Venezuela's equalizer, redeemed himself by saving Wilker Angel's kick in sudden death. Ismael Kone then converted the winning penalty to send Canada into the semi-finals, where they will face world champions Argentina.Canada's performance was a testament to the team's progress under American coach Jesse Marsch, who took over in mid-May. The Canadians played with high energy and pressing, giving Venezuela little time on the ball.Despite losing 2-0 to Argentina in the opening game of the group stage, Canada has shown remarkable resilience and determination throughout the tournament. Their victory over Venezuela, who won all three of their group stage games, is a testament to their growing confidence and ability.Canada will face a daunting task in the semi-finals against Argentina, but Marsch will believe his team can pull off another upset and reach the final in Miami on July 14.

Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez emerged as the hero in a thrilling Copa America semifinal clash against Ecuador, saving two penalties and denying Lionel Messi's blushes as the defending champions secured a 4-2 shootout victory.The match had been a tense affair, with Argentina taking the lead through Lisandro Martinez's header in the first half. However, Ecuador fought back and equalized in stoppage time through Kevin Rodriguez's header.In the penalty shootout, Messi surprisingly missed the opening spot-kick, chipping the ball against the bar. But Martinez stepped up to save two penalties from Angel Mena and Alan Minda, giving Argentina the advantage. Nicolas Otamendi then slotted home the decisive fourth kick to send Argentina into the final.Martinez's heroics were reminiscent of his performance in the 2021 Copa America semifinal against Colombia, where he saved three penalties. He also played a crucial role in Argentina's World Cup triumph in Qatar, saving two penalties in the final against France.Ecuador were left heartbroken after a match in which they had created enough chances to win. Felix Sanchez's team started brightly and dominated possession, but they were unable to find a way past Martinez.Argentina will now face the winner of Friday's match between Venezuela and Canada in the Copa America final. They will be looking to defend their title and claim their 16th Copa America crown.

Lionel Messi's participation in Argentina's Copa America quarter-final clash against Ecuador remains uncertain due to a hamstring issue. Coach Lionel Scaloni will make a decision on Messi's availability after Wednesday's training session.Messi missed Argentina's final group stage match against Peru due to a sore right hamstring. Scaloni stated that he will consult with the 37-year-old forward to assess his readiness for the game."We'll wait a couple of hours and make the decision. It is always better to have one more day," Scaloni said. "Yesterday we had good feelings and we'll take this day to define the team based on the response we get today."If Messi is unable to start, Scaloni could opt for a twin-striker attack featuring Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez. Martinez is the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, while Alvarez netted in the opening game against Canada."They have already played together against this rival. We will make the decision after today's training session. We are not ruling anything out because they have worked well and it is an option, it could be," Scaloni said.Ecuador coach Felix Sanchez does not anticipate a significant change in Argentina's approach, regardless of Messi's presence."We know we are playing a high level team, Lionel Messi is the player that makes the difference and we have played against them with him and without him on the field," Sanchez said. "Their gameplan doesn't change much - they are a group who have been with their head coach for a long time, they know their gameplan and we have had to be ready either way."Argentina will hold a training session later on Wednesday, and Scaloni will make a final decision on his team after evaluating Messi's condition and the team's overall performance.

Costa Rica's Copa America campaign ended in disappointment as they failed to advance to the quarter-finals despite a 2-1 victory over Paraguay in their final Group D match.The Ticos entered the match needing a win and a favorable result in the other group game between Brazil and Colombia. However, Brazil's 1-1 draw with Colombia meant that Costa Rica finished third in the group with four points.Costa Rica made a bright start and took the lead within three minutes when Francisco Calvo headed home from close range. Josimar Alcocer doubled their advantage just four minutes later with a stunning strike from outside the box.Paraguay came out fighting in the second half and pulled a goal back through Ramon Sosa in the 55th minute. The Ticos held on for the win but it was not enough to secure a place in the knockout stages.Costa Rica coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his team's performance but admitted that they were unlucky not to qualify."We had our strengths, our achievements, and our mistakes, but we grew and we're analyzing the performance rather than the results," Alfaro said. "The important thing is that we learn and that this was a very short tournament that we had to seize to the fullest."Paraguay, meanwhile, finished the tournament with three losses in three matches. Coach Daniel Garnero was disappointed with his team's performance and said that he would discuss his future with the association."It was a bad tournament, a bad performance," Garnero said. "I am here because the association requested my services and if they don't want me to continue, that is their decision. I'll have to discuss that with them."

Colombia's resilient performance against Brazil on Tuesday secured their qualification to the Copa America quarter-finals as group winners. Despite conceding an early goal to Raphinha's stunning free-kick, Colombia fought back to earn a 1-1 draw, courtesy of Daniel Munoz's equalizer in first-half stoppage time.The result means Colombia advance to the knockout rounds as winners of Group D, where they will face Group C runners-up Panama in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday. Brazil, on the other hand, will face a formidable challenge in Las Vegas on Saturday against arch-rivals Uruguay, winners of Group D with a perfect record.Brazil's goalscorer Raphinha expressed confidence in his team's ability to overcome any opponent, including Uruguay. "Our team is evolving with each game, with each training session, and we think we're on the right track," Raphinha said. "We have to be prepared for anyone if we want to win this competition."However, Brazil will be without Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr in the quarter-finals after he picked up his second yellow card of the tournament for a reckless foul on James Rodriguez. Colombia's playmaker Rodriguez had Brazil fans on edge with his ensuing free-kick, which clipped the top of the bar.Despite Brazil's early lead, Colombia remained a threat throughout the first half. Rodriguez volleyed over the bar on the turn, and he thought he had set up Colombia's equalizer with a pinpoint cross for Davinson Sanchez, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.Tempers flared midway through the first half, with three yellow cards issued in quick succession. However, Colombia's slick play in stoppage time paid off when Munoz blasted home after being released by a superb pass from Jhon Cordoba.Colombia looked comfortable through the second half and should have wrapped up victory in the final minutes, but substitute Rafael Borre shot over from eight yards with the goal gaping. In Tuesday's other Group D game, Costa Rica defeated Paraguay 2-1 in Austin to finish in third place.

The United States' Copa America campaign came to an abrupt end on July 1st, as they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Uruguay in their final Group C match. The loss marked the end of a tournament that had been filled with both promise and frustration for the American side.Team USA entered the Copa America with high hopes, having won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2021. However, their campaign got off to a rocky start with a shock 2-1 defeat to Panama last Thursday. That result left the Americans needing to match or better Panama's result against Bolivia in their final group game to advance to the knockout stages.But US coach Gregg Berhalter's side never looked like doing enough to seriously threaten a well-drilled Uruguay outfit who advanced to the last eight as group winners. "It's difficult to say right now, obviously the emotions are running high," said a disappointed US captain Christian Pulisic. "We had a good start and brought a lot of energy, but just didn't have enough quality. We just couldn't find a solution."Hopes of a great escape for the tournament hosts faded inside the first 30 minutes, as news filtered through that Panama had taken a 1-0 lead against Bolivia in Orlando. Those hopes were revived early in the second half after Bolivia equalised to make it 1-1, leaving the US on course for qualification provided they continued to hold Uruguay.Yet the US optimism was punctured just moments later when Uruguay took the lead in controversial circumstances through Mathias Olivera on 66 minutes. Ronald Araujo's powerful header from Nicolas de la Cruz's free-kick was parried away by US goalkeeper Matt Turner, but only into the path of Olivera, who tucked away the rebound. Replays appeared to show that Olivera was offside when Araujo first made contact with the ball, but despite a lengthy VAR review, Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega ruled that the goal should stand.The mathematics of qualification looked even more bleak for the US after news that Panama had scored again through Eduardo Guerrero to regain the lead at 2-1, and the final nail in the coffin came when Cesar Yanis added a third for Panama in stoppage time.The USA's first-round exit raises fresh questions about the future of US coach Berhalter, who remains deeply unpopular amongst swathes of American fans. Berhalter was only reappointed to the US job in June last year following a hiatus after leading the team to the 2022 World Cup. Yet the nature of Monday's early exit is certain to reignite debate about whether he is the best man to lead the United States into the 2026 World Cup on home soil.Failure to defeat Uruguay, 14th in the latest FIFA rankings, extends Berhalter's poor record against top 20 teams. Berhalter has just five wins in 20 matches against top-20 teams during his reign, and four of those victories came against regional rivals Mexico — who were also been eliminated from the Copa in the first round.That dismal sequence continued after a toothless attacking performance from Berhalter's side against Uruguay, where they registered only three shots on goal in a misfiring offensive display. US defender Antonee Robinson described the officiating as "amateur hour" but stressed responsibility for the defeat lay with the American players. "Just not enough quality in the final third," Robinson said. "At the end of the day we weren't good enough to get the result today. This is on us."

Argentina's Copa America campaign got off to a flying start as they cruised to a 2-0 victory over Peru in Miami on June 29. Despite the absence of talisman Lionel Messi due to a sore hamstring, Argentina showcased their depth and resilience to secure a comfortable win.With coach Lionel Scaloni serving a one-game suspension, Argentina made nine changes to their starting lineup. However, the makeshift team displayed impressive cohesion and control throughout the match. Peru, on the other hand, struggled to create any meaningful chances, managing just one shot on goal.Lautaro Martinez emerged as the hero for Argentina, scoring both goals to seal the victory. His first came just after halftime, when he latched onto a sublime through ball from Angel Di Maria and calmly lifted the ball over Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.Argentina had a chance to double their lead in the 72nd minute when Jesus Castillo handled the ball in the area, conceding a penalty. However, Leandro Paredes' spot-kick crashed against the woodwork, leaving the score at 1-0.Martinez then grabbed his second in the 86th minute, latching on to a long pass forward before finishing past Gallese. Replays indicated Martinez may have shoved defender Aldo Corzo in the build-up, but referee Cesar Ramos waved away Peru's protest and the goal stood."It was tough in the first half because they were defending deep, but the first goal opened up the game," Martinez said afterwards. "There's a lot more to come from us."Argentina's victory ensures their place as Group A winners and a spot in the quarterfinals. They will now face the runner-up from Group B in Houston next Thursday, most likely either Ecuador or Mexico.In Saturday's other Group A game, Canada held 2015 and 2016 Copa America champions Chile to a 0-0 draw in Orlando, which was enough to see the Canadians into the last eight. Chile needed a victory to leapfrog the Canadians into the knockout rounds but were left with a mountain to climb early in the game when Gabriel Suazo was dismissed for a second yellow card after only 27 minutes."It took a lot of hard work -- it's our first time in this competition and it's not easy," Canada captain Alphonso Davies said about his team's advance to the last eight. "There's a lot of good teams in this competition and a lot of good players. But we stuck to our plan and we played well. We showed a lot of fight. We had to show our teeth at times, but overall we did well."Canada will play the winners of Group B in the quarterfinals.

Brazil's Vinicius Jr. emerged as the star of the show in their 4-1 Copa America victory over Paraguay, bouncing back from a lackluster performance in their tournament opener. The victory marked Brazil's first win in six competitive matches and their maiden competitive triumph under manager Dorival Jr., who took charge in January.From the outset, Vinicius' pace and trickery posed a constant threat to Paraguay down the left flank, a stark contrast to his ineffective display in Brazil's 0-0 draw with Costa Rica. Despite Brazil's strong start, Paraguay nearly took the lead in the 15th minute, but Damian Bobadilla's goal-bound effort was deflected off Eder Militao and nearly wrongfooted goalkeeper Alisson Becker.Brazil earned a penalty in the 28th minute for a handball, but Lucas Paqueta's spot-kick was wide of the mark. However, the midfielder made amends seven minutes later, setting up Vinicius with a first-time pass to cap off a flowing team move. Girona winger Savio doubled Brazil's advantage after pouncing on a rebound inside the box, before Vinicius diverted a clearance from Omar Alderete into the net for his second goal of the night in first-half stoppage time.Paraguay got a goal back after the break as Alderete netted a superb long-range effort, but any hopes of a comeback were swiftly dashed when Brazil were awarded a penalty in the 68th minute after a handball by Mathias Villasanti. Despite his earlier miss, Paqueta stepped up and made no mistake at the second time of asking to send Brazil's fans into delirium.Towards the end of the match, tempers flared and Andres Cubas was shown a red card after kicking out at Douglas Luiz, with Brazil using their man advantage to comfortably see out the game and clinch the three points.

Lionel Messi, the talismanic captain of Argentina, will miss the team's final Copa America group game against Peru due to muscle tightness. The news was confirmed by assistant coach Walter Samuel, who stated that Messi is being monitored on a "day-by-day" basis.Messi experienced discomfort in his right adductor muscle during Argentina's previous match. Samuel emphasized that the team is not overly concerned about Messi's absence, as they have proven capable of performing well without him in the past."The team has always shown that they can rise to the occasion when he's not there," Samuel said.Argentina has already secured a spot in the quarter-finals after victories over Canada and Chile. A draw against Peru on Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami would ensure their qualification as group winners.Despite Messi's absence, Samuel insisted that Argentina will field a strong team against Peru. "Peru has top players; we are taking this game with the utmost seriousness," he said.Samuel will be in charge on the bench as head coach Lionel Scaloni serves a one-game suspension for the team's tardiness in emerging for the second half in their previous matches. Scaloni expressed disappointment over the suspension, stating that he and his coaching staff have always maintained a high level of professionalism.Argentina is expected to rest several key players against Peru, but Samuel emphasized that the team will still aim for a win. "We want to finish the group stage on a high note," he said.