LONDON, Ontario, Canada -

The first day of play-off for the Men's Pan American Cup was reduced to one game after the withdrawal of Cuba from the competition. Uruguay (5th in pool B) played against Venezuela (6th in pool A), while Brazil (5th in pool A) had a direct entry into the game for the 9th-10t places on Saturday. The stadium of University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, was used all day for a high school athletics meet, so the game was played later in the day, in a stormy and muggy weather.

Both teams started tentatively, committing mistakes. Venezuela appeared to slowly take control of the play by developing a better passing game, but it is Uruguay that managed to score the first goal by Juan Cornalino who pounced on a loose ball in front of Venezuelan goalkeeper Mitchell Marquez. On the next play, Venezuela could have equalized after a superb run by Lucas Piccioli; he ran 50 meters with the defense chasing him, drew the goalkeeper aside and offered a golden opportunity to William Lehrmann who unfortunately could not adjust his shot in the empty net.

Lucas Piccioli generated another opportunities soon after and scored it himself, smashing a backhand shot in the top corner in the twenty first minute. The remainder of the half had not much to offer, with neither side managing to maintain their structure. Score at half-time: 1-1.

With a storm looming in the background, the beginning of the second half was reduced to a midfield struggle, with both teams often losing the ball before reaching the opposite 25. The rare incursions in the D were easily handled by the goalkeepers, Mariano Mallo for Uruguay and Mitchell Marquez for Venezuela.

The game was interrupted for fifteen minutes by lightning and a torrential downpour. It resumed on a pitch that had not been as well watered since the beginning of the competition, maybe too much as the ball and the game slowed downed considerably. The tempers flared on occasion and both teams played short for a while, but there were no real dangerous opportunities, despite a few penalty corners on both ends.

The end of regular time was reached on the tied score of 1-1 and the game resumed for two periods of extra times (7.5 minutes each) and the "Golden Goal" rule in effect. Venezuela had most of the early pressure and Lucas Piccioli managed to unleashed two reverse shots that shaved the posts, but nothing happened in the first extra period.

Venezuela was reduced to ten players for the second period of extra time and the pressure shifted to Uruguay. They earned four penalty corners but couldn't adjust a decent shot on goal, so the game ended on the tied score of 1-1 and shifted to penalty strokes.

Once again, Venezuela took the early advantage, scoring their first two strokes while Uruguay missed one. But the Uruguayan goalkeeper Mariano Mallo saved the day for his team, stopping the next three shots, including one from the #1 Venezuelan striker Lucas Piccioli, and the fate of the game laid on the last Uruguayan stroker, Sebastian Castillo. He scored it cleanly and seemed more relieved than happy, until he was swamped by his ecstatic teammates.

After a game that lasted more than three hours, Uruguay will now play Brazil on Saturday for the 9th-10th place, while Venezuela will surely be disappointed by this eleventh place.