U.S. beats Canada in shootout to reach CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal
Matt Turner stopped two penalty kicks, and the United States beat Canada 3-2 in a shootout after a 2-2 draw Sunday night for a berth in a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal against Panama.
In a game that was scoreless until the 88th minute, the U.S. tied the score when Canada’s Scott Kennedy had an own goal in the 115th minute, six minutes after Jacob Shaffelburg put Canada ahead. Brandon Vázquez gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead but Steven Vitória made it 1-1 in the third minute of stoppage time with a penalty kick after a hand ball on Miles Robinson.
Turner stopped Vitória’s opening penalty kick with his right hand, Vázquez kicked his attempt over the crossbar and Turner dived left to bat away Liam Fraser’s attempt.
Cade Cowell, Gianluca Busio and Jesús Ferreira all converted for the U.S. while Kamal Miller and Jacen Russell-Rowe made shots for Canada. Charles-Andreas Brym put Canada’s final attempt off the crossbar.
The winner of the U.S.-Panama game Wednesday at San Diego advances to the championship match July 16 against Mexico or Jamaica at Inglewood.
The U.S. has reached 12 consecutive Gold Cup semifinals since the Americans were eliminated in a 2000 quarterfinals during a penalty-kicks loss to Colombia, an invited guest. Going to a shootout for the first time since losing to Panama in the 2015 Gold Cup third-place game, the Americans improved to 5-4 in games decided by penalty kicks, including 5-2 in competitive matches.
Vázquez had put the U.S. ahead with a header from DeJuan Jones’ looping cross. In his home stadium where he plays for Cincinnati, Vázquez scored his fourth international goal and third goal of the tournament. He had entered in the 73rd minute.
Days before heading to her fourth World Cup, Megan Rapinoe announced Saturday she’ll retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League season.
Vitória tied the score with his fifth international goal. Robinson was called for the penalty by Mexican referee Marco Ortíz after a video review of a ball bouncing off the defender’s arm while Robinson was challenging Rowe. Ortíz declined to award a penalty after a video review of a ball off Robinson’s arm in first-half stoppage time,
Shaffelburg gave Canada the lead when he picked up a loose ball near midfield and dribbled past Ferreira. From just inside the penalty area, Shaffelburg sent a shot that deflected off a calf of defender Matt Miazga for his first international goal.
Turner lofted the ball from midfield into the penalty area. Miazga centered a header to Jordan Morris, who headed the ball in front. Dayne St. Clair made a leg save on Busio, but the shot deflected off defender Kennedy and in for an own goal.
In the opening game, Jamaica beat Guatemala 1-0 on a 51st-minute goal by Amari’i Bell. The defender scored from a Demarai Gray pass with a right-foot shot from eight yards for his first international goal. Jamaica will play Mexico at Las Vegas on Wednesday.
