Canada to play Argentina in Copa semis after shootout win over Venezuela

Canada is one win away from the Copa America final.

The tournament debutant continues to break new ground this summer, beating Venezuela 4-3 on penalties to secure arguably the most significant win in the history of the men's program and reach the semifinals of the competition at the first time of asking.

Substitute Ismael Kone calmly slotted home the decisive spot-kick after the match finished level at one apiece over 90 frenetic minutes at AT&T Stadium.

Jesse Marsch's team will now meet reigning champion Argentina in the semifinals in a rematch of the tournament opener that took place just over two weeks ago. Lionel Messi's side won that contest 2-0 but was pushed hard by Canada until cementing the result late.

"We're excited, but not satisfied," Marsch told reporters after the emotional win Friday, adding that Canada would need to play the "game of our lives" to pull off the upset over the current World Cup and Copa America holder.

That sentiment was echoed by both captain Alphonso Davies and forward Jonathan David.

Canada was nearly left to rue a series of missed opportunities Friday that would have robbed the team of the opportunity to tangle with Messi and Co. once more.

Jacob Shaffelburg, a revelation at this summer's tournament who was heavily involved in all the action in the first half, opened the scoring in the 13th minute as Canada came out flying to begin the contest.

"He is running his balls off every game, and it makes such a difference for us," defender Alistair Johnston told TSN of Shaffelburg, praising his teammate's relentless work on the left wing. "Even on that goal, it's a nothing play, a quick throw-in, and who's running across the first post? Our far-side winger. That just sums him up."

Shaffelburg, 24, celebrated his close-range tally by holding up Tajon Buchanan's jersey; the midfielder was watching from the stands after suffering a broken tibia in training earlier this week.

Canada, which had more shots on target in the opening 30 minutes Friday than it did over 90 minutes in any other match at the tournament thus far, could have been comfortably ahead at halftime, but lacklustre finishing kept Venezuela in the breathless affair.

Veteran striker Salomon Rondon eventually took advantage, equalizing in the 64th minute by capitalizing on rare lapses from Moise Bombito and Maxime Crepeau to lob the ball over the 'keeper's head from long range.

But Bombito and Crepeau both came up big in the shootout to render that point moot.

The former, stoic as he waited to take his penalty while the pro-Venezuelan crowd tried to throw him off by pointing lasers at his face, converted his effort with ease. Crepeau, meanwhile, made two saves, including a sensational diving stop that helped tee up Kone's confident winner.

"This is amazing," the netminder said after the match. "I think everybody needs to realize the respect that this country deserves and these footballers deserve. Everybody says 'Oh, these Canadians.' Yeah, well, these Canadians are in the semifinals."

Canada, no longer content with merely gaining experience from marquee matches against celebrated opposition, has another memorable result and historic first under its belt in the very early stages of Marsch's reign.

It now has the opportunity to pull off the single biggest win in the history of the men's program when it meets Argentina on Tuesday.