ARLINGTON, Texas: Canada reached the semifinals of the Copa America on Friday after beating Venezuela 4-3 on penalties after the 90-minute game finished 1-1.

Jacob Shaffelburg fired Canada into the lead in the 13th minute but Salomon Rondon equalized in the 64th, before Canada triumphed in the shootout to set up a last-four meeting with world champions Argentina.

The Canadians, under American coach Jesse Marsch, who only took over the team in mid-May, are playing in the Copa America for the first time and produced a relentless display of pressing in what was a frantic game.

Both teams failed to score from the spot twice in the shoot-out, leaving it at 3-3 after five penalties each and sending the contest into sudden death.

Canada keeper Max Crepeau, who had made a major error for Venezuela’s equalizer, made amends as he saved Wilker Angel’s kick.

That left Ismael Kone with the chance to win the game. He converted with an ice-cool penalty to set off the celebrations in front of a crowd of 51,080 mostly Venezuela supporting fans.

Canada played Argentina in the opening game of the group stage, losing 2-0 to the defending champions and will start as huge underdogs again in the semifinal.

But after a performance of remarkable energy and determination against a Venezuela team that won all three of their group stage games, Marsch will believe his team could pull off another upset and reach the final in Miami on July 14.

Canada roared out of the blocks, giving Venezuela no time on the ball and getting forward in numbers in the early stages.

“Vinotinto” keeper Rafael Romo had to race out of his area to stop Cyle Larin as he raced on to a ball over the top, but there was nothing he could do minutes later when the Canadians took the lead.

Jonathan David bustled in from the right and winger Shaffelburg arrived right on time to slot the ball into the bottom corner.

Shaffelburg, a speedy left-winger who plays in Major League Soccer for Nashville, then forced Romo into a diving save and then delivered a low cross which David was unable to finish.

Canada were going for the jugular and Richie Laryea zipped a ball across the face of the box but the stretching David was unable to reach it.

Larin wasted a big chance just after the interval when he found the ball in space in the box but leaned back and fired his shot well over the bar.

Marsch’s high-energy tactics were starting to take a toll on his players and as they tired Venezuela grew into the game.

Jose Martinez should have done better when a poor clearance landed at his feet in the box but he stabbed his shot wide.

But then a long ball forward was won by Rondon, who spotted Crepeau far off his line and from 35-yards out the veteran striker produced a perfect lob to beat the stranded keeper and make it 1-1.

There were late chances for Canada to win the game in regulation time, but neither Liam Millar nor Tani Oluwaseyi, both on as substitutes could provide a composed finish.

With no extra-time in Copa America, it was straight to penalties and after Rondon and David both converted, Yangel Herrera hit the post for Venezuela.

Millar then put his effort over the bar and after Tomas Rincon scored for Venezuela, Moise Bombito levelled for Canada.

But Jefferson Savarino hit the post and Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio saw his soft effort saved by Romo before both teams scored to make it 3-3.

Then in sudden death, Crepeau dived to deny Angel leaving Kone with the pressure shot to win which he handled with aplomb.

“Everybody needs to realize the respect this country deserves and these footballers deserve,” Crepeau told Fox Sports.

“Everybody says ‘these Canadians’, well these Canadians are in the semifinals of Copa America.”

STUTTGART, Germany: Substitute Mikel Merino headed Spain into the semifinals of the European Championship as they snatched a 2-1 win over Germany in extra time on Friday.
Florian Wirtz’s equalizer in the last minute of regulation time sent the gripping quarterfinal to extra time after Dani Olmo — who set up Merino’s winner — netted the opener early in the second half.
“It was the game we expected,” Merino said, “because we were facing one of the best teams in the world. This could have been a final, and it sure played out that way. This was a game between elite teams, a constant back and forth, and we showed that we have a great team.”
Spain defender Dani Carvajal was sent off late in extra time for a second yellow card and will be suspended from Tuesday’s semifinal against Portugal or France. Fellow defender Robin le Normand will also miss that match after picking up another booking.
The result ended the career of Germany’s Toni Kroos, who announced he would retire at the end of the tournament.
The quarterfinal pitted the teams who have played the best soccer at Euro 2024, and it didn’t disappoint.
There was a blistering pace from the start with crunching tackles and end-to-end action.
Kroos was lucky not to be booked for a mistimed challenge that upended Spain midfielder Pedri.
Another hefty challenge moments later saw Pedri leave the field injured and in tears as he was replaced by Olmo in the eighth minute, the fastest replacement in the history of the Euros.
From the resulting free kick, Lamine Yamal almost became the youngest ever goal-scorer at the tournament, but the 16-year-old’s effort flashed past the right post.
Yamal did have a hand in the opener as he cut inside from the right and rolled the ball across for Olmo to hit it first time into the bottom left corner.
It was Yamal’s third assist of the tournament, the most by a teenager at a Euros.
Substitute Nico Füllkrug hit the post in a late desperate onslaught by Germany, which was rewarded just in the nick of time.
Joshua Kimmich nodded Maximilian Mittelstädt’s cross back to Wirtz, whose effort went in off the far post.
Both teams had more chances to win in extra time before Merino leapt high to head in Olmo’s cross and send the Spanish fans behind the goal into a frenzy.