For the U.S. Men’s National Team, recent performances don’t matter. From the highs of Costa Rica to the lows of Colombia, the USMNT has ridden quite a wave throughout the 2016 Copa America. Yet, for the tournament to be classified as a success, the U.S. will need its best soccer to come on Thursday night against yet another South American powerhouse.

The U.S. takes on a familiar foe in Ecuador on Thursday night in a matchup preceded by a friendly between the two sides just before the tournament kickoff. A 1-0 USMNT win helped Jurgen Klinsmann’s men kickstart the Copa America on a high, but Thursday’s contest promises to be a whole new animal for a team still looking to validate themselves with a knockout round win.

The previous match against Ecuador provided a slight look at what to expect from Thursday’s clash. In that match, Michael Bradley cemented his role as the USMNT’s No. 6, helping usher in a consistent lineup that the USMNT has leaned on every since. However, with DeAndre Yedlin suspended, that lineup will be slightly fractured, as the USMNT looks to plug holes against a dangerous Ecuador team.

Here’s a look at what to watch for when the USMNT takes on Ecuador on Thursday night:

MICHAEL BRADLEY PIVOTAL IN NO. 6 ROLE

Michael Bradley’s emergence as the USMNT’s No. 6 began with the pre-Copa America friendly against Ecuador. If the USMNT are to have success this time around, they will need their captain to once again step-up and shine from a deeper role.

After years of shifting throughout the midfield, Bradely’s process of calling the No. 6 position his home came in the 1-0 win over Ecuador. After an indifferent half, the Toronto FC midfielder was shifted deeper to take full advantage of his vision. It worked. Bradley was a star throughout the second half, a 45 minute period that saw the USMNT dominate an Ecuador team that was admittedly a bit shorthanded.

If the U.S. is to control play against Ecuador once again, Bradley will be pivotal. After having a bit of a stinker against Colombia, the USMNT captain has bounced back with a pair of solid performances. Solid will not be good enough on Thursday, as the U.S. will need Bradley at his best against a tough Ecuador team.

RIGHT BACK NEEDS TO STEP UP

DeAnde Yedlin’s suspension leaves a major hole in the USMNT defense, and someone will need to fill in against a difficult opponent.

Jefferson Montero has dominated plenty of fullbacks throughout his career, and the USMNT right back of choice could be his next victim. Whether it’s Michael Orozco, Fabian Johnson or whoever Klinsmann opts to go with, they will face a test in keeping the tricky winger out of open space.

Ecuador will be looking to exploit the flanks while taking advantage of their dangerous wing options. Then, waiting in the middle will be Enner Valencia, who will take full advantage of spaces should a centerback be pulled out wide to provide aid.

If the USMNT is to control the Ecuador attack, the U.S. will need to stop it at its source: the wide-areas. That likely begins with Orozco, who should be given a chance to show his defensive chops against a top-class opponent.

USMNT FACES TOUGH TASK IN LIMITING VALENCIA

Enner Valencia is Ecuador’s biggest threat to score, a fact that is quite obvious. Luckily for the U.S., the centerback partnership of John Brooks and Geoff Cameron have kept things all but locked down in the back.

Through three games, Brooks and Cameron have yet to allow a goal from open play. Just a penalty kick and corner kick have blemished the USMNT’s record, while two straight shutouts have lifted spirits heading into the knockout rounds.

The matchup between Valencia and the centerback duo tasked with defending him will be an enthralling one. Valencia has pace to burn and the intelligence to recognize when to use it. Brooks, meanwhile, is plenty fleet of foot himself, as evidenced by this three-on-one stop against Paraguay. If the USMNT gets into a track meet, they should be able to keep up with Valencia more times than not, but if they are burned once, it will likely be for a goal.

Brooks and Cameron will have to be on their game against Valencia. Should either be pulled out of position, the forward can and will exploit space with what could prove to be a decisive sequence.

COPING WITH PRESSURE IS VITAL

Throughout the Copa America, Jurgen Klinsmann has stressed the knockout stages. It’s like a whole new tournament, Klinsmann says. It’s a sequence of games with no room for error, and even less room for self-doubt.

Entering Thursday’s match, both the U.S. and Ecuador are riding highs. The two teams certainly managed the group stages as well as they hoped, as both sides got exactly where they needed to be. Now, the test comes in taking that next step, something that could very well come down to which team is mentally ready to do so.

Both the USMNT and Ecuador have the pedigree. The U.S. has played in these pressure situations before, with 14 members of the 2014 World Cup team populating the current roster. Ecuador, meanwhile, frequently competes in the pressure-cooker that is CONMEBOL qualifying in some of the top teams in some of the most difficult environments in world soccer.

With the potential for penalty kicks looming, both sides will need to keep their heads. A DeAndre Yedlin-like emotional mistake would prove to be a major swing in a game where every moment matters. In a game so evenly matched, the team that is mentally stronger will win on Thursday in what should prove to be a legitimate knockout stage battle.