Ten-man Canada exits CONCACAF Gold Cup after penalty shootout loss to Guatemala

Canada defender Alistair Johnston (2) and Guatemala forward Rubio Mendez (9) battle for possession of the ball during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals soccer match Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Minneapolis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Abbie Parr

MINNEAPOLIS — Canada, reduced to 10 men when Jacob Shaffelburg was sent off in first-half stoppage time, exited the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday after a 6-5 penalty shootout loss to Guatemala.

The quarterfinal went to spot kicks after finishing tied 1-1 after 90 minutes at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Tied 5-5 after six rounds of the shootout, Canadian teenage defender Luc de Fougerolles hit the crossbar. Jose Morales stepped up and beat Dayne St. Clair to send the 106th-ranked Guatemalans into the semifinal.

Promise David, Daniel Jebbison, Derek Cornelius, Mathieu Choiniere and Nathan Saliba scored for No. 30 Canada in the shootout. Kenderson Navarro stopped Cyle Larin

Oscar Santis, Nicola Samayoa, Aaron Herrera, Darwin Lom and Pero Altan also scored for Guatemala in the shootout.

Guatemala captain Jose Pinto had a chance to win it in the fifth round after Larin’s spot kick was saved but sent his penalty over the bar.

Canada exited the 2023 Gold Cup in a quarterfinal penalty shootout loss to the U.S. The Canadians also lost a shootout to Ivory Coast in the recent Canadian Shield Tournament in Toronto with de Fougerolles denied from the penalty spot.

Guatemala will play either the 16th-ranked U.S. or No. 54 Costa Rica in Wednesday’s semifinal at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Americans and Costa Ricans met in the nightcap of Sunday’s doubleheader at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Vikings.

Leading 1-0 via a 30th-minute Jonathan David penalty, Canada was reduced to 10 men when Shaffelburg was shown a second yellow card for bodying Stheven Robeles to the ground. He picked up the first caution in the 40th minute for taking down CF Montreal’s Olger Escobar.

The Canadians did not sit back in the second half, coming forward when not absorbing the pressure of Guatemala hunting for an equalizer. But Rubio Rubin tied it for Guatemala in the 69th minute with a stylish header off a Santis cross to cap off a well-constructed attack.

The Oregon-born Rubin earned seven caps for the U.S. before, taking advantage of family ties to Guatemala, switching his international allegiance. He plays his club football for the Charleston Battery in the USL Championship.

While there was none of the over-the-top physicality shown by El Salvador in Canada’s final Group B game, there was no shortage of niggle Sunday, be it an extra shove or ball kicked at a downed Canadian player. And the emotional temperature rose in a frenetic second half.

Jonathan David went down repeatedly in the second half, receiving treatment twice.

Defending champion Mexico, ranked 17th in the world, faces No. 75 Honduras in the other semifinal Wednesday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

The first half was entertaining with the 30th-ranked Canadians attacking from the get-go and No. 106 Guatemala responding with the occasional counter-attack. Canada won six corners in the first 20 minutes.

Costa Rican referee Keylor Herrera pointed to the penalty spot in the 27th minute when Tani Oluwaseyi, put behind the defence by a pinpoint Richie Laryea pass, went down in the box. The contact with Aaron Herrera, a former CF Montreal player, was minimal but the decision passed video review.

Jonathan David, who had a penalty saved the previous game against El Salvador, made no mistake this time. He found the corner of the goal for his 36th goal in 67 appearances, adding to his Canadian men’s scoring record.

It was his second goal in as many games at the tournament and his Canada-leading eighth, along with three assists, in eight career Gold Cup games.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch made two changes to his starting 11 with St. Clair, who played the first two Group B games before giving way to Max Crepeau, returning in goal and Oluwaseyi replacing Promise David up front.

The Canadian starting 11 went into the game with a combined 353 caps with David (66 caps), Laryea (64), Alistair Johnston (55) and Tajon Buchanan (50) accounting for 235 of them. Buchanan, who was seen clutching the back of his leg in the first half, gave way to Jebbison in the 58th minute.

Navarro started in goal for Guatemala in place of the injured Nicho Hagen, a backup with the Columbus Crew, and did well, commanding his penalty box and initiating Guatemala attacks with savvy ball distribution.

Canada had 59 per cent possession in the first half and had a 4-3 edge in shots (2-2 in shots on target) and 7-2 in corners.

Canada came into the game with 10-2-2 all-time record against Guatemala was unbeaten in the previous five meetings (4-0-1), dating back to a 2-0 loss in August 2004 in World Cup qualifying in Burnaby, B.C. The teams played to a scoreless draw the last time they met, in group play at the 2023 Gold Cup.

Canada defeated Honduras 6-0, tied No. 90 Curaçao 1-1 and dispatched No. 81 El Salvador 2-0 to win Group B. Guatemala finished runner-up to No. 33 Panama in Group C, beating No. 63 Jamaica 1-0 and unranked Guadeloupe 3-2 and losing 1-0 to Panama.

Canada, which won the tournament in 2000, had made the quarterfinals in the last four editions of the Gold Cup but had only advanced once — in 2021 when it lost 2-1 to Mexico in the semifinal after beating Costa Rica 2-0.

Guatemala reaches the semifinal for just the second time, following 1996 when it lost 1-0 to eventual champion Mexico. The Guatemala roster features four MLS players including Hagen and Escobar.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2025