Canada suffers shock defeat to Guatemala. All CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinalists are set

On Sunday, June 29, and into the early hours of Monday, June 30, two more CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals were played. Now, all the semifinalists have been determined—and there was no lack of drama along the way.

Details: The Canadian national team faced Guatemala, and this clash delivered the tournament’s biggest upset so far. Canada struck first, taking the lead, but late in the first half they were reduced to ten men. In the second half, Guatemala capitalized, leveling the score.

It was 1-1 after regular time, leading to a penalty shootout where Canada made one more mistake than their rivals. 6-5—the Guatemalans triumph over Canada in the shootout and book their place in the semifinals.

The other quarterfinal was just as dramatic, also going the distance to penalties. The USA and Costa Rica finished 2-2 after a thrilling and evenly matched contest, sending the tie to a nerve-wracking shootout.

Three missed penalties from Costa Rica compared to two from the USA. 4-3 after the spot kicks—the Americans edge through to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals.

Gold Cup semifinal fixtures:

• USA vs. Guatemala
• Mexico vs. Honduras

Reminder: Inter Miami star and Argentina captain Lionel Messi still has not made a final decision on whether he will play at the 2026 World Cup.