Copa América and the European Championship kicked off this summer, providing fans with a thrilling football feast. One noteworthy phenomenon is that in the Copa América, prior to the final, if teams are tied after 90 minutes in the knockout stages, a penalty shootout will be held instead of the usual 30-minute extra time. The Guardian published an article discussing whether this format should be emulated by other international tournaments.
The report states that in this Copa América, extra time was only used in the final if the teams were tied after 90 minutes. However, this has sparked some debate. For example, in the quarterfinal match between Uruguay and Brazil, Uruguayan player Nandez was sent off with a red card in the 74th minute, forcing Belsa’s team to play with 10 men. But Uruguay managed to hold on to the draw until the final whistle and forced the game into a penalty shootout, ultimately winning 4-2 against Brazil to secure a semi-final berth.
Media outlets believe that if there had been extra time in this match, Brazil, with an extra player, would have had a manpower advantage, making the final outcome unpredictable.
The Guardian indicates that Copa América rarely uses extra time, and this format is not new. In the 108-year history of Copa América, extra time has mostly been absent from the tournament’s pre-final stages. From 1995 to 2004, extra time wasn’t even used in the final, and the only time it was used in the knockout stages was in 2011.
The Guardian attributes this decision to the aim of preventing player fatigue, as many stars have just completed grueling and lengthy seasons with their clubs. It also aims to ensure the quality of the matches, as an additional 30 minutes in high temperatures would be undeniably brutal for the players.
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