Does a countered spell still target?

Question

I have a Phantasmal Dragon in play. My opponent casts Unsummon on it. In response, I cast Cancel on the Unsummon. Do I sacrifice my Phantasmal Dragon because it was the target of the Unsummon, or does countering the Unsummon make it's targeting invalid?

Answer 1

It was still targeted.

You choose targets as part of the process of casting a spell, which has to happen before a spell can be countered. And the moment you have chosen something as a target, it has been targeted.