Canada clinches Olympic berth in field hockey with 5-4 shootout win over Brazil

TORONTO – Adam Froese had the shootout winner as Canada’s men’s field hockey team earned a spot at the 2016 Olympics with a 5-4 win over Brazil in Thursday’s semifinal at the Pan American Games.

Froese scored the winner in the fifth round of the shootout, beating Brazilian goalkeeper Rodrigo Faustino with a backhand shot.

Canada will now play Argentina in Saturday’s gold-medal game. The two teams have met in the men’s field hockey gold medal game in 10 straight Pan American games.

Argentina beat Chile 6-0 in the earlier semifinal on Thursday.

The two teams played to a scoreless first half.

Brazil had the first quality chance of the game in the third minute but Canadian goalkeeper David Carter made a big left pad save off of Bruno Sousa.

Canada’s first shot on goal came in the eighth minute as midfielder Mark Pearson’s shot was re-directed wide by Faustino.

Canada controlled much of the play in the second quarter.

Forward Matthew Guest had two separate chances to set up teammates.

In the 18th minute Guest was looking for forward Iain Smythe in front of the net, but Faustino got his pad on the pass to direct it out of Smythe’s reach.

Then in the final minute of the half, Guest sent a cross-crease feed for Devohn Teixeira, but it hopped over his stick.

Notes: Canada’s women’s field hockey team will look for it’s first Pan Am medal in 15 years on Friday night when they play Chile in the bronze medal game. … Brazil’s men’s field hockey team qualified for the 2016 Olympics with a win over the U.S. in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.