CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) 鈥� Luis Su谩rez still has a knack for big plays.
The 37-year-old Su谩rez, Uruguay鈥檚 career scoring leader, game two minutes into second-half stoppage time, and Uruguay beat sa国际传媒 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw on Saturday night to finish third in the Copa America international tournament.
Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet after the shooter's stutter step on sa国际传媒鈥檚 third attempt, and Alphonso Davies put sa国际传媒鈥檚 fifth and final kick .
Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Su谩rez converted Uruguay鈥檚 attempts past goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair while Jonathan David, Mo茂se Bombito and Mathieu Choini猫re made their kicks for sa国际传媒, which went first in the shootout.
鈥淯ruguay is one of the three best teams of this tournament and taking into consideration that the tournament included Central, North and South America, and we finished third, allows us to be optimistic,鈥� Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said through an interpreter.
But Bielsa clearly wasn't happy with his team's effort, and added that he may have misjudged how tired his team was after playing on just two days' rest.
鈥淭he draw was barely deserved,鈥� Bielsa said.
Bielsa praised Su谩rez's "physical skills and mental aptitude" after the match following his 69th international goal on a quick attack following a centring pass from Jos茅 Mar铆a Gim茅nez.
鈥淚t is very well known what he has done throughout his career and having shared this time with him, I believe he is a top-notch player and a great teammate,鈥� Bielsa said of Su谩rez.
sa国际传媒, which hired American Jesse Marsch as coach in May, will consider the tournament one of its best performances since winning the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Canadians reached the World Cup for the second time in 2022, the first since 1986.
sa国际传媒 made six changes from its starting semifinal lineup and Uruguay made two. Davies, sa国际传媒鈥檚 top player, entered in the 62nd minute after leaving the semifinal with a leg injury.
Marsch said his players made a 鈥渟tatement鈥� and are well ahead of where he thought they'd be at this time.
鈥淭he players are disappointed in the way that we gave the match away,鈥� Marsch said. 鈥淏ut I was very positive with them. We have been together for about six weeks and to play against one of the best teams in the world and dominate the match 鈥� we were too much for them for most of the match 鈥� is pretty good.鈥�
He said his team simply gave the ball away too often in the final minutes.
鈥淲e should have be able to shut that game down,鈥� Marsch said. 鈥淏ut that savviness of how to handle those situations, we need to develop that 鈥� and we will.鈥�
Bentancur put Uruguay ahead in the eighth minute but sa国际传媒 built a 2-1 lead on goals by Kon茅 in the 22nd and David in the 80th.
St. Clair was given an unusual yellow card as Rochet was preparing for Bombito鈥檚 penalty kick, possibly for trying to distract the goalkeeper.
The game was played on the same field where Uruguay players entered the stands and following a 1-0 semifinal loss on Wednesday night.
This game was much more subdued than the heated semifinal, with an announced attendance of 24,386, compared to more than 70,000 鈥� the overwhelming majority rooting for Colombia 鈥� on Wednesday night.
Defending champion night at Miami Gardens, Fla. Argentina and Uruguay are tied for the most Copa titles with 15 each.
Uruguay took the lead when Sebasti谩n C谩ceres headed a corner kick to Bentancur, who took a touch and spun as Luc de Fougerolles reacted slowly, then for his third international goal and his second of the tournament.
sa国际传媒 tied the score 14 minutes later when Bombito won a header duel with Gim茅nez and the ball popped up toward goal, and went over Rochet for his third international goal.
Facundo Pellistri slid the ball past St. Clair in the 23rd minute but was .
sa国际传媒 went ahead when Rochet parried Kon茅鈥檚 initial shot and the rebound went to David, who shot just inside a post for his 28th international goal. David had entered in the 67th minute.
THROW-INS: sa国际传媒 lost 2-0 to Argentina in Tuesday's semifinal, while Uruguay lost 1-0 to Colombia a night later in the second semifinal. Colombia played most of the second half with 10 men due to a red card infraction.
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AP soccer:
Steve Reed, The Associated Press
