It’s through adversity that we learn. Talk about that to Canada, which lost a lead, the small final and third place in a matter of minutes.
To call it a heartbreaking defeat would be an understatement. Until the final stoppages, the unifolé held on to the lead as best they could, while Uruguay made a series of threatening breakthroughs. In the final moments, Luis Suárez broke through the central hinge to level the score 2-2.
The game then went straight to penalties, with no extra time. All Uruguayans scored. The nation’s pressure was on the shoulders of Alphonso Davies. His shot ultimately hit the bar, taking with it all Canada’s hopes of victory.
Ismaël Koné also saw his attempt fail, he who had been heroic in this phase of play in the quarter-finals, against Venezuela. Koné went for a change of speed that seemed to outwit him. His shot, which lacked force, was easily caught by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.
Making your mark
However, it would be cruel to only remember this missed shot from Koné. The former CF Montreal player was on the starting lineup, while Stephen Eustáqio was left out. From the first minutes, Koné decided that he would leave his mark on the game. And he succeeded, distinguishing himself as the best player of his team.
PHOTO JACOB KUPFERMAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ismaël Koné was the best player in the Canadian camp.
Canada got itself a goal worthy of the late Panier bleu in the 21ste minute. On a corner kick, Quebecer Moïse Bombito won a ball with his head. It flew towards Koné.
With a clever maneuver, with his back to the goalkeeper, Koné almost rode a bicycle, a spectacular volleyed shot that managed to beat the goalkeeper.
Later in the match, with the stalemate still in place, Koné fired a powerful shot that goalkeeper Sergio Rochet could not control. Well positioned in the penalty area, Jonathan David collected the rebound before scoring.
Even though he tried to force the game at times, Koné finished the match with 33 completed passes. His dominance was also evident in ball recovery. He won 8 of his 11 ground duels.
Betting on the future
Beyond Koné, Canada has fully bet on youth. Coach Jesse Marsch had revealed his intentions on the sidelines of this small final. Victory remained the priority, but the match represented an opportunity to offer minutes to a few inexperienced players. Players who could represent the future of Canada, particularly with a view to the 2026 World Cup.
As promised, Canada fielded an inexperienced lineup. Their headliners, Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David and Stephen Eustáquio, warmed the bench. Their withdrawals allowed youngsters Mathieu Choinière, Tani Oluwaseyi and Luc de Fougerolles to be included in the starting lineup.
PHOTO JIM DEDMON, USA TODAY SPORTS
Quebecer Mathieu Choinière was in the starting lineup.
Under the circumstances, one might have expected a clear Uruguayan domination. And in fact, the Canadians’ nerves were quickly put to the test.
From the eighth minute, the central hinge seemed overwhelmed by events. Uruguayan Rodrigo Bentancur was left alone on a corner kick. He had no difficulty in registering his team’s score.
That’s when we understood what the Canadians were made of. Far from collapsing, the Maple Leaf redoubled the pressure on the opposing defense. The Uruguayans were completely bottled up. So much so that in the first half, Canada took possession, at 60%.
Their lack of experience caught up with them, however. Unable to hold on to the lead, Canada lost possession 58% to 42% in the second half. It looked like the team had lost its cool at that point.
“It’s tough to lose a game when you play it so well,” fullback Alistair Johnston told TSN after the game. “Everybody on our team showed up. We really applied what we’ve learned over the last six weeks.”
Canada therefore concludes its first Copa América with a fourth-place finish. Even if this latest defeat leaves a bitter taste, this result largely exceeds expectations for it at the start of the tournament.
“We can hold our heads high knowing that we were neck and neck with most of the teams in the tournament,” said Alistair Johnston. “We’ve really made some big steps forward in a short period of time. We’re looking forward to seeing what the future holds, it’s going to be a big two years between now and 2026,” he concluded.