The medal is Uruguay’s first since 2011.
Hero player Luis Suarez rose to a decisive role and led Uruguayan football to the bronze medal in the Copa America. Suarez completed the 2-2 draw in Canada’s net in overtime and also buried the game tool in the net in the fourth pair of shots of the penalty shootout. Uruguay was stronger in the penalty shootout, winning 4–3.
For Uruguay, the medal is the first since 2011, when the country won the entire tournament. Suarez was also involved at that time.
Uruguay took the lead in the bronze medal match with Rodrigo Bentancur’s first-half header, but Canada, the surprise of the tournament, kept Uruguay at bay and equalized with Ismael Kone’s goal. The match was played the night before Sunday Finnish time.
The 37-year-old Suarez, who excelled in Barcelona and Liverpool in recent years, had to wait to get on the field until the beginning of the second half, when he replaced Darwin Nunez.
Canada pulled off a huge surprise ten minutes before full time when Jonathan David completed the 2-1 goal. Then Suarez struck, who equalized in overtime from a pass from Jose Gimenez.
In the penalty shootout, all four of Uruguay’s shots were successful, Suarez the last. Among the Canadian players, Kone and Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies failed. Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet saved Kone’s shot. Davies’ panenka-style effort hit the crossbar.
Argentina and Colombia will meet the night before Monday in the Copa America final.