THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA-TIME DURING COPA AMERICA KNOCKOUT ROUNDS UNTIL THE FINAL... WITH TIED GAMES SET TO GO STRAIGHT TO A PENALTY SHOOTOUT
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- The Copa America knockout rounds are set to take place throughout this week
- Unlike the Euros, there is be no extra-time and games will go straight to penalties
Football fans can prepare for more drama than ever in this year's Copa America with the knockout round fixtures set to remove extra-time and, instead, head straight to penalties.
After a thrilling group stage, the quarter-final fixtures have been drawn for the competition and it's thrown up some intriguing battles that are set to take place.
Brazil will face fellow South American heavyweights Uruguay in a mouthwatering match-up, while Colombia will line up against Panama in a far easier draw.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Argentina will open the knockout stages against Ecuador in Houston on Thursday night, before Venezuela and Canada face off in Arlington 24 hours later.
As fans gear up for the huge fixtures, they should be aware that - unlike Euro 2024 - there will be no extra-time for any of the knockout rounds, except for the final.
Instead, matches will head straight to a penalty shootout - which should lead to more drama for those watching on.
There will be no USA in the final stage of the competition after their unceremonious ending on Monday night.
The Group C finale in Kansas City ended with USA star Christian Pulisic telling Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega that he and his team of officials should celebrate with the Uruguay players.
This came after Uruguay beat Pulisic's side 1-0 courtesy of a controversial goal scored by Mathias Olivera.
Many fans, players and pundits were furious that a VAR review allowed the goal to stand, despite one frame appearing to show that Olivera was well offside when Ronald Araujo initially got his head on the end of a Nicolas de la Cruz free-kick.
Araujo's header was saved but Olivera tapped home the rebound to help his side finish top of Group C.
A tweet by World Soccer Talk described the decision as 'UNBELIEVABLE', while one USA fan wrote: 'So this isn't offside..... ok, CONMEBOL...ok...'
Referee Ortega refused to shake hands with Pulisic following the final whistle, but only after the former Chelsea forward shouted at him while pointing at the celebrating Uruguay players: 'Why aren't you over there with them?'
Despite being adamant that Uruguay's goal should not have stood, fans were also quick to point out that the USA's early exit from their own party was not solely down to the officials.
A draw against Uruguay would still have seen Pulisic and Co knocked out of the tournament because of last week's 2-1 defeat by Panama, who ultimately went through in second place with six points, two ahead of the States.
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