Jose Morales emerged as the hero for Guatemala, scoring the decisive penalty in a thrilling 6-5 shootout victory over Canada in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals. The match, held on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, ended in a 1-1 draw after regulation time, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
Canada took the lead in the 30th minute when Jonathan David calmly converted a penalty kick after Tani Oluwaseyi was fouled in the box by Aaron Herrera. However, their advantage was short-lived as Jacob Shaffelburg received a red card just before halftime, reducing Canada to 10 men. Shaffelburg's ejection came after picking up two yellow cards.
Guatemala capitalized on their numerical advantage in the 69th minute when Rubio RubĂn headed in a cross from Oscar Santis, leveling the score and sending the largely pro-Guatemala crowd into a frenzy. Despite Guatemala's pressure, Canada managed to hold on, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.
The shootout was a tense affair, with both teams converting their first four penalties. In the fifth round, both Cyle Larin of Canada and Jose Pinto of Guatemala missed their attempts, prolonging the suspense. After both sides scored in the sixth round, Canada's Luc de Fougerolles hit his penalty off the crossbar. Jose Morales then stepped up and confidently slotted his penalty just off the center of the net, sending the Guatemalan team and fans into wild celebrations as the Canadian goalie dove the wrong way.
This victory marks a significant upset for Guatemala, who advance to the Gold Cup semifinals to face the winner of the United States versus Costa Rica quarterfinal match. For Canada, it's a disappointing end to their Gold Cup campaign, failing to reach the semis for the second straight tournament. The loss is particularly stinging as Canada was considered one of the favorites in the competition.