Canada makes thrilling debut in Copa América with dramatic win over Peru

Copa América debutants Canada secured a thrilling victory over Peru in a dramatic match on matchday 2 of Copa América 2024. The game saw Canada dig deep to defeat a 10-man Peru team, with David scoring the lone goal in the 74th minute and Araujo receiving a red card in the 59th minute. Canada’s win marked their first under new manager Jesse Marsch, making a strong statement as underdogs in Group A.

The match was filled with suspense and excitement as both teams pushed to secure a spot in the knockouts. Peru dominated the first half, keeping Canada confined to their own box and testing goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau with several dangerous shots. Despite Lapadula’s offside goal being disallowed, the Peruvians continued to threaten.

The game took a dramatic turn when Marcos Lopez’s headbutt on Alistair Johnston was initially deemed clean by VAR, only for Araujo to later receive a red card for a high challenge on Jacob Shaffelburg. In the midst of these events, an assistant referee collapsed on the field due to the intense heat, adding to the tension.

Shaffelburg, unaffected by Araujo’s challenge, led Canada on a counterattack and set up David for the winning goal, marking a historic moment in the Marsch era. Peru, despite being a man down, fought valiantly and came close to equalizing with chances from Cueva and Guerrero.

With this victory, Canada now sits in second place in Group A, trailing behind Argentina and ahead of Chile. As the tournament progresses, all eyes are now on the upcoming match between defending champions Argentina and Chile to see how the standings will shift within the group.