Copa America's love affair with shootouts down to a matter of survival

ESPN FC's Steve Nicol and Janusz Michallik were left underwhelmed by Uruguay's inability to take advantage of their chances in their defeat to Peru. The FC crew share their keys for Brazil and Argentina as both sides search for consistency heading into their Copa America semifinal. SALVADOR, BRAZIL -- After four quarterfinals in the 2019 Copa America we've had three penalty shootouts, which is one more than four years ago, in Chile. If it feels like a lot, that's because it is. Under Copa America rules, you go straight to penalties if the scores are level after 90 minutes (except in the final, where you play the customary extra time). That explains why there are so many shootouts in the knockout rounds relative to, say, the Euros (three in 17 knockout ties in France), the...

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