Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News
For years, the Copa America has ignored extra time, instead heading straight to penalties if games in the quarterfinals or semifinals are tied after 90 minutes.
On one hand, it is exciting. Ecuador’s late equalizer against Argentina on Thursday provided great drama. Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates had not conceded in their three group-stage games. Yet, Kevin Rodriguez made the game rife with parity with his stoppage-time header. At the same time, the game had a different feel. Avoiding the 30 minutes of play after the tied game took out what was likely to be drama.
Argentina advanced, which some will say would have happened in extra time anyway. That is by far a guarantee, though. Ecuador’s attempt to push for a game-tying goal for much of the second half yielded several great chances. A penalty miss from Enner Valencia should have tied the game. Then, Jordy Caicedo should have scored in the game’s dying minutes. The game was remarkably even in every meaningful statistic. It deserved 30 more minutes of that drama, not a penalty shootout where it comes down to goalkeepers.
Without extra time, the Copa America picks up another reason to feel amateurish. The pitch conditions, lack of atmosphere and ticket prices have made the Copa America pale in comparison to the Euros, for example. Jumping from action in regular time to penalties is a disjointed effort to provide more ‘action’ in the Copa America. In truth, it makes the game feel like a friendly, not a quarterfinals of an international competition.
For reference, friendly games often use penalties to decide a victor. Those games mean nothing, and the penalties are a way for fans to see some concluding excitement instead of the game fizzling out. Bringing that feeling to the Copa America, which wants to be on the same level as the European Championship, does no favors.
Copa America penalties take away the competitive side of the game
Certainly, there were storylines to be…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/copa-america/copa-america-penalties-without-extra-time-feels-wrong/
Author : Kyle Fansler
Publish date : 2024-07-06 13:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
