Copa America Femenina: Argentina Outlast Uruguay in Penalties

Neither sides wanted to be in the third-place match, but they still gave it their all. This one lasted to the penalty kick shootout, and when you reach this level at this stage of a tournament, it’s always a guessing game for the keepers, but a bundle of nerves for the penalty kick takers. But when it was all over, Argentina won the shootout by a final of five to four after a two goal draw in regulation over Uruguay.

Uruguay would go first, as both sides converted in the opening round of penalties. But calamity came to Uruguay as Stephanie LaCoste Gularte went to her left and was stopped by Solana Pereyra. Argentina’s Sofia Braun never missed her’s to take the lead. Both sides continued to convert spot kicks, even the backup keeper, Sofia Olivera of Uruguay, was subbed into the match converted her penalty in the fourth round.

It came down to the final round of spot kicks. Pizarro tied it up with a hard shot to her left, then came Kishi Nunez as she ripped her penalty off the corner bar of the upper far 90. Originally, it looked like the ball never went in, and Uruguay was hoping for a VAR review that would go their way. But on the replays, Nunez’s penalty does hit the bottom of the corner bar, but the entire ball did land across the goal line as Argentina won third place.

Argentina would get on the board first, as they got a corner along the far side. As the ball was delivered inside the area, Uruguay’s goalkeeper Agustina Miranda came off her line trying to punch the ball away. She missed it, but not Aldana Cometti as she leaped in the air and headed the ball inside the back of the net in the 24th minute.

Uruguay equalized in the match later on in the first half. They had the ball along the near side of the pitch as Wendy Carballo dribbled it, then made a wonderful cross toward the middle, waiting for the ball was Esperanza Pizarro as she gave a slight touch to the ball and found a way to deflect it past the keeper and inside the far post in the 35th minute.

Uruguay took the lead in the final minute of regulation in the first half. Uruguay attacked as Pizarro took a looping ball toward the net, and she retrieved it, taking it to the end line. She waited for help to arrive, and got it when she passed the ball back toward Juliana Viera. She got in front of the net and took a hard shot to beat the keeper in the 45th minute.

Argentina gets a call for a penalty in the 82nd minute. Carolina Troncoso was just inside the area at the far side. She was just taken down by Stephanie Tregarten, clipping her left heel, then the referee blew her whistle and pointed to the spot. Taking the penalty was Florencia Bonsegundo, as she smashed it to the upper near 90 to level the score at two in the 83rd minute.

Two proud nations played against each other, and no matter if it was the men or the women, both countries gave it their all in the third-place match and gave all of us an entertaining game. While Brazil & Colombia will be an entertaining final, this Copa America Femenina was an excellent show for all of us who enjoy the women’s game.