Canada aims to finish strong in Copa America Third Place Match against Uruguay on TSN
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Canada’s debut at the Copa America has already provided success never before seen by a men’s team at a major international tournament. Now the squad will try to leave the event on a winning note as it faces Uruguay in the Third Place Match at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Canada will play for third place after falling 2-0 to defending FIFA World Cup and Copa America champion Argentina in the semifinals.
Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez scored for the No. 1 ranked team in the world, who will attempt to earn a record 16th Copa America title in the final on Sunday in Miami.
Canada created chances in their semifinal defeat with Jacob Shaffelburg, Jonathan David and substitute Tani Oluwaseyi having the best looks at the Argentinian goal.
The semifinal loss was Canada’s second 2-0 setback against Argentina, having lost to them in the tournament’s opening match on June 20 in Atlanta.
On the road to the semis, Shaffelburg and David each played a part offensively in Canadian victories during the competition.
David scored the only goal in Canada’s 1-0 victory over Peru during the round robin as they advanced to the knockout round by finishing second in Group A.
Shaffelburg found the net in their quarter-final victory over Venezuela, a game that ultimately went to penalties and propelled Canada into the rematch against Argentina in the semifinal.
They did not escape the injury bug during the Copa America as midfielder Tajon Buchanan suffered a broken tibia, which required surgery, ahead of the quarter-final match and captain Alphonso Davies was substituted from the Argentina semifinal with a leg injury.
X-rays were negative, but Davies’ status for Saturday’s game remains unknown.
Canada could become the third CONCACAF team to finish third in CONMEBOL’s South American tournament.
Mexico has won the third place match three times and Honduras defeated Uruguay on penalties to achieve the feat in 2001.
To leave with the tournament’s bronze medal, Canada will have to defeat one of Copa’s all-time greatest champions in Uruguay.
La Celeste are currently tied with Argentina for the most titles in the history of the competition with 15 each.
They were ousted 1-0 in the semifinal round by Colombia, who were forced to play the entire second half of the match with 10 men after Daniel Munoz was sent off when he picked up a second yellow for elbowing Uruguay’s Manuel Ugarte just before halftime.
At the conclusion of the game, several Uruguay players, including star Darwin Nunez, entered the stands and had a physical altercation with Colombian fans.
This is Uruguay’s fourth appearance in a Third Place Match at Copa America.
They defeated Colombia in 2004 and suffered the aforementioned loss to Honduras in 2001 and were also beaten by Mexico in 2007.
Uruguay defeated Canada 2-0 in a September 2022 friendly in Bratislava, Slovakia, the last time the countries met. The match was a tune-up for that fall’s World Cup.