On paper, Saturday’s friendly with Bolivia appears to be a stepping stone for the U.S. Men’s National Team ahead of the Copa America. But, with starting spots on the line and confidence to gain, the friendly against the CONMEBOL nation takes on massive importance for a team looking to build into this summer’s tournament.

The USMNT hosts Bolivia on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park in the third of three Pre-Copa America friendlies. After dispatching of Puerto Rico with a weakened roster, the USMNT recently took down Ecuador on a late Darlington Nagbe winner, continuing a positive run through pre-tournament friendlies.

Jurgen Klinsmann hopes to see that run continue on Saturday night, although the USMNT head coach is not looking past the opposition. Despite being ranked exactly 50 points behind the U.S. in the latest FIFA rankings, Bolivia is an underrated team, according to Klinsmann. In qualifying, La Verde has gone toe-to-toe with some of South America’s best, something Klinsmann and the USMNT is hoping to emulate starting June 3 against Colombia.

“This is a team that is very, very technically gifted. It’s a team that is very well organized,” Klinsmann said. “Just the last qualifier against Argentina, they lost, 2-0, in Argentina with a referee mistake on a penalty that kind of killed them off with the second goal. They were in the game most of the time. This is a team that deserves a lot of respect and it will be similar to what we had with Ecuador: very good players that can make a difference in a split second.”

“It’s another very good team,” added Geoff Cameron. “They’re confident, cool on the ball, very skillful. They’ll be running us to spread out the lines. Similar to Ecuador as well. It’s another test, another way for us to get some confidence and build relationships on the pitch. It’s another game to get us ready for Colombia.”

While the Bolivia match presents the USMNT with one final chance to fine tune ahead of the Copa America, it also presents Cameron with the opportunity to return to the team’s lineup.

The Stoke City defender missed out on the USMNT’s prior two contests due to a hamstring injury. According to Klinsmann, Cameron could have earned a cameo against Ecuador, but both parties decided it wasn’t worth risking the central defender for just a few minutes of game action. Now fully healed, Cameron is expected to rejoin the USMNT lineup in his first match since closing the season with Stoke City.

Cameron himself says he feels confident and comfortable as he now steps back into a crowded centerback picture. His potential partner, John Brooks, as shined in recent outings, while Matt Besler and Steve Birnbaum both remain in the competition for starting spots.

“The centerback situation, we are very blessed,” Klinsmann said. “We have guys there ready to make that international presence that is needed in the Copa America. John Brooks has made a big step forward over the last year and Michael Orozco has always been very consistent with us. Steve came into that group. Matt Besler is there, who has, so far, had a strong season as well.

“We are very blessed. Having (Cameron) coming back from that little issue, it’s very, very tight. It’s not easy for us coaches where it’s like ‘this guy has the edge or that guy has the edge’. That’s our job. At the end, we can only field 11 guys.”

Another player likely looking to make his mark is Darlington Nagbe, who stuck out in a Man of the Match performance against Ecuador. The Portland Timbers midfielder provided his first international goal in stoppage time, capping a memorable substitute performance with a game-winning finish.

Nagbe’s efforts against Ecuador pushed him right into the midfield picture, one which Klinsmann admits is very fluid. After excelling as a No. 6 against Ecuador, Michael Bradley remains a moving piece, one that Klinsmann says can be utilized in a variety of ways depending on the opponent. Kyle Beckerman very much remains in the mix as the team’s top defensive destroyer, while Jermaine Jones, Graham Zusi and Alejandro Bedoya all figure into the central midfield picture.

But the player with the most to gain remains Nagbe, one of several USMNT stars that could parley one more strong performance into a starting role against Colombia on June 3.

“Over time, you want to see more and more that the players put their own stamp on the team with their personality,” Klinsmann said, “and, hopefully, making some difference with some killer passes in (Nagbe’s) position, like he did now. You also need to give players time to grow into that role. Obviously, there is the competition with the ones that are already here. That’s just normal for every team.  You just want to see him become consistent, demand the maximum out of himself, go both ways. You have to grind it out defensively as well.

“Darlington is a player, with his elements and his game, that is very technical and explosive moving forward,” Klinsmann added. “It’s nice that he grows more and more in our group and gives us that element.”

Nagbe, like fellow newcomers Bobby Wood and Christian Pulsic, has one more chance to shine. With just days remaining before the Copa America, the U.S. will look to end pre-tournament camp on a positive before beginning this summer’s premier competition.

“What we coaches would love to see with that second test against Bolivia is that the players continue to fine-tune some elements on the field, that they get a better feel for each other,” Klinsmann said. “It’s a very short preparation for such a big tournament. Hopefully, they use every minute to get a better feel for it.

“With Bolivia, it’s another very strong opponent that will show us a little bit of how things work in South America. It’s another leaning curve for us. With these two games, Ecuador and Bolivia, they are two opponents that teach us a lot. Hopefully, it’s going to be a positive outcome, but I think these two games, we have a real good feeling.”