Canada suffers heartbreak on penalties against U.S. in Gold Cup quarterfinals | CBC Sports

A penalty kick converted by captain Steven Vitória in the dying minutes of regulation and a great individual effort by winger Jacob Shaffelburg to score in extra time ultimately weren’t enough for Canada’s men’s soccer team.

The Americans edged Canada 3-2 on penalties on Sunday in Cincinnati in CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal action to advance in the tournament after the match ended 2-2 after regulation and extra time.

Kamal Miller and Jacen Russell-Rowe scored in the shootout for Canada. Vitória, who opened the penalty kicks, and Liam Fraser, who went second, missed. Charles Brym hit the woodwork as Canada’s fifth taker to bring the game to an end.

Cade Cowell, Gianluca Busio and Jesús Ferreira all scored for the U.S. after Brandon Vázquez failed to convert the American’s opening penalty kick.

Veteran centre back Vitória sent Canada to extra time by converting a 93rd minute penalty kick.

A confident shot in the middle of the goal by the 36-year-old tied the game at 1-1 after a hand ball by American defender Miles Robinson was captured in the VAR.

Canada appeared to take control of the game in the second half of extra time. Shaffelburg scored his first international goal after running with the ball from the halfway line and sending a deflected shot past U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner.

A Toronto FC academy product now with Nashville SC, the 23-year-old Shaffelburg came on for Junior Hoillet late in the second half.

But one of Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair’s many saves of the night found teammate Scott Kennedy in the box, with the centre back unintentionally sending the ball into his own net with his chest to tie the match at 2-2.

An assistant referee got hit by a ball in the face seconds into the game and needed medical assistance. The game was stopped for some minutes before he left the pitch bleeding, being replaced in the sideline by the fourth official.

The U.S. will take on Panama on Wednesday in San Diego, Calif., for a chance to play for the Gold Cup trophy. The Panamanians breezed past invited guests Qatar 4-0 in quarterfinal action on Saturday.

Amari’i Bell scored as Jamaica topped Guatemala 1-0 earlier on Sunday to advance to the semifinals. The Reggae Boyz will face Mexico, which edged Costa Rica 2-0 Saturday, on Wednesday for a place in the final.

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