U.S. trips Canada 3-2 in shootout to reach Gold Cup semifinal

By The Associated Press on July 9, 2023.

CINCINNATI (AP) – Matt Turner stopped two penalty kicks, and the United States edged 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 skied 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 on Wednesday at San Diego advances to the championship match on July 16 against Mexico or Jamaica at Inglewood, Calif.

The U.S. has reached 12 straight Gold Cup semifinals since the Americans were eliminated in a 2000 quarterfinals with 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.

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 centred 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.

Canada was outshot 21-5 in the match. The U.S. had eight shots on target compared with two for Canada. The U.S. led in ball possession at 68 per cent. Canada had 18 fouls and four yellow cards, while the U.S. had 15 fouls and two yellow cards. The U.S. led in corners 13-3.

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.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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