Matt Turner is ending Sunday night a hero for the U.S. men's national team.
The USMNT eliminated Canada in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals at TQL Stadium, home of FC Cincinnati, in a thrilling penalty shootout.
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It reached that point after both nations were tied 2-2 at the end of extra time, but all the goals arrived extremely late.
Brandon Vazquez, the hometown striker for Cincinnati, came off the bench and opened the scoring in the 88th minute. Makeshift left back Dejuan Jones delivered a perfect ball into the box from the left flank that Vazquez hammered home with his head.
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That made it the FC Cincinnati striker's third goal of the tournament in four appearances. He netted the late equalizer in the 1-1 group-stage draw vs. Jamaica and added another in the 6-0 rout of Trinidad and Tobago in the final group game.
But that adrenaline rush didn't last long. Just a few minutes later, U.S. center back Miles Robinson was called for a hand ball in the penalty box -- his second such incident that required VAR assistance -- and Steven Vitoria went down the middle three minutes into stoppage time.
Soccer
The U.S. started extra time on the right foot and seemed poised to score first, but after a scoreless initial 15 minutes, Canada seized the lead against the run of play in the 109th minute.
Jacob Shaffelburg made a run down the left flank in transition, and his shot deflected off Matt Miazga -- another hometown player -- and past Turner into the left corner. It marked the 23-year-old's first goal with the national team, and it couldn't have come at a more opportune moment.
But the U.S. found the equalizer in bizarre fashion in the 114th minute. The ball took a few bounces in the box when Gianluca Busio got on the end of it, and his initial shot that was saved deflected off defender Scott Kennedy and back into the net.
A penalty shootout was needed to decide the victor.
Canada went first, but this time Turner read Vitoria's attempt down the middle and saved the powerful strike with one hand.
Vazquez, however, skied his attempt and the USMNT's first, so the opening save no longer mattered. Until Turner came up big again with another save on Liam Fraser, and U.S. youngsters Cade Cowell and Busio netted the second and third attempts.
Jesus Ferreira then scored the fourth to make it 3-2 with Canada having one attempt left to force extra shots. However, Charles-Andreas Brym saw his attempt clang off the crossbar that sealed the deal.
The USMNT will now face Panama in the semifinal on Wednesday, July 12. Kick-off time from Snapdragon Stadium, home of the NWSL's San Diego Wave, is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. PT.
Mexico and Jamaica form the semifinal matchup on the other end of the bracket.
