SEATTLE– For awhile, it looked like it would be an all night party. Clint Dempsey staked the United States Men’s National Team to an early lead, the U.S. attack looked as good as it has in recent memory, and the opponent did not seem remotely up for the magnitude of the moment.
But of course that would be far too easy. How could the USMNT finally reach the semifinals of a major tournament without frayed nerves? In the end, the U.S. held on for dear life for the final 25 minutes of Thursday night’s Copa America quarterfinal match against Ecuador, dodging bullet after bullet before escaping with a wild 2-1 victory in front 47,322 at raucous CenturyLink Field.
Dempsey scored early, and Gyasi Zardes added a second-half insurance goal that proved all-important. With both teams down to 10 men for almost the entire second half, Ecuador found one goal and nearly delivered a second on multiple occasions.
With the win, the Copa America Centenario is now an unqualified success for the USMNT as it has stormed back from a tournament-opening loss to Colombia. The U.S. now advances to the semifinals to play the winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal match between Argentina and Venezuela.
The win came at a hefty cost, however. Jermaine Jones, Bobby Wood, and Alejandro Bedoya are all suspended for the semifinal.
Dempsey opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, rising between central defenders to powerfully head a one-touch cross from Jones into the upper right corner. It was his third goal of the tournament and his 52nd career international goal, leaving him just five short of all-time USMNT scoring leader Landon Donovan.
Zardes, who put in a stellar shift along the right touchline using pace and energy to keep Ecuador honest, added the second goal in the 62nd minute, scooting behind the defense to escort a close-range shot from Dempsey across the line.
Michael Arroyo pulled a goal back for Ecuador in the 72nd minute, ripping a one-touch shot past goalkeeper Brad Guzan. The tenor of the match turned after the goal, as Ecuador began to look like its most lethal self and the USMNT struggled to track runs into the penalty area. Multiple Ecuadoran headers narrowly missed equalizing.
John Brooks, so stout throughout the tournament, nearly scored an own goal in stoppage time, clearing a ball out of bounds and just past the left post.
Both teams were dropped to 10 men in a bizarre sequence in the 52nd minute. Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia tripped Bedoya to earn his second yellow card of the match. As tempers flared along the sidelines, referee Wilmer Roldan issued a straight red card to Jones for putting a hand to the face of an opponent. Both players are vital parts of their teams, but the extra space on the pitch clearly paid dividends for Ecuador as it sought to equalize.
Dempsey nearly doubled the lead less than five minutes after his goal, ripping a left-footed shot from 10 yards out that never got quite far enough from Dominguez. The USMNT looked likely to add another goal throughout the first half, but never could find the back of the net. Bedoya came up short on the clearest chance, getting a clean look on a 3-on-2 break but failing to challenge Dominguez from 10 yards out.
Speedy forward Enner Valencia had the best chance of the half for Ecuador, but Guzan dropped to smother the West Ham United forward’s close-range shot from the end line. An unseemly midfield turnover from USMNT captain Michael Bradley led to the scoring chance.
The match opened with obvious nervousness from each side, but by the 15th minute more of the game was going to the USMNT, with the Ecuadoran defense repeatedly on its heels, scrambling to mark Dempsey, Wood, and Zardes as they streaked into the penalty area. Wood earned the most tantalizing early opportunity, toeing an agonizingly slow-rolling shot past Dominguez and just past the right post.
Guys…guys, I think we have to start giving Klinsmann some credit. It may not be easy to admit, but he deserves it.
You are right. I can happily say I have always been behind him. I like the atmosphere and competition JK has created. Haven’t liked every decision, result or media response but I like him, his aspirations for the team and where we are currently. It has taken a while but the future looks bright. I am especially impressed with our back four.
I certainly started to have serious doubt seep in, especially after the GC and GC championship game. I thought the team did not look behind him. The complete opposite seems true this tournament so my opinion of JK has definitely improved significantly.
No doubt those results were pretty hard to look at and you are right it looked dysfunctional, like they weren’t on the same page with him. As long as we continue to progress from here I will be a happy camper. Had we been knocked out of the Copa group stage I probably would have began to lose faith in him. Glad that didn’t happen. Hope the Houston fans show up, but I’m afraid they won’t.
Great win! The team played great and worked really hard for each other, that is fantastic to see. I thought we were the better team all night, and a few talented guys are not going to trouble us if we play team defense like that. I thought the subs were slow to come on, but not a big deal.
Going forward I would like to see Besler stay at LB, Yedlin come back into the RB position, and see Johnson take over for Bedoya. Zusi would slot in for Zardes, who moves up top next to clint and Nagbe plays the central role in front of Jr. Not sure what will happen, and the truth is I do not care what the lineup is at this point. The team has gelled, and I now have confidence in the group without worry for any one part. I am so excited to watch the game on Tuesday.
On a side note, that was some of the worst television coverage I have ever seen for a major soccer game. What was Fox doing? Replays that lasted ten seconds, and when they got back to the game the ball was right in front of the box or in the corner. The announcers were giving play by play while we watched the fifth replay of a tackle that was not whistled. The understand that this is a game without stoppages right? Unbelievable, I cannot remember how many times I yelled “get back to the game already!!!!”. (rant over)
Go USA!
I would love to see a progressive line-up for the semis with Pulisic, Nagbe, and Besler (with Johnson moving to midfield) replacing the three suspended players, but this seems to be a game where Beckerman will probably rightly be joining Bradley in the midfield. The only move that would really disappoint me is if Wondolowski gets the starting nod in Wood’s position. Move Zardes up top and put in Zusi???…OK. Keep Zardes where he is and start Pulisic???…great. Please do not start Wondo for this game!
Agree no Wondo. We will need to be able to counter next match against Argentina. We likely we be defending for long stretches of the match and will get only a handful of decent chances on the counter. Wondo has a terrible first touch and lacks speed he would be ineffective on a counterattack.
Nagbe for Bedoya. Beckerman for Jones. Zardes moves up and Zusi fills his spot in midfield. Subs could be Pulisic for Zusi with Nagbe switching to the right. Or Besler come in with Zusi off and switching FJ to right midfield.
I agree except that starting those three leaves FJ out. I think you go back to the 4-3-3 with FJ, Deuce and Zardes up top, Bradley, Beckerman and Nagbe in the middle and Besler, Brooks, Cameron and Yedlin in the back. If we need to juice the attack, put in Pulisic at left winger and move FJ back.
Whoops, missed the part where you said move FJ to midfiield. This is actually the lineup that I would most like to see as well. The only chance we have in my opinion is to try to at least get enough skill on the field to be able to possess the ball a little bit and enough speed to be dangerous. The lineup you’ve suggested is the only one that does it. I think the one I put up above or a 4-4-2 with Zardes up top and Zusi on the right are more likely though.
I think in a game like this you have to keep your defense consistent. FJ will almost certainly play LB to try and cover Messi. Last night showed that JK wants FJ covering the wing with the best player on the opposing team otherwise he would have put Orozco in at RB to cover Montero.
I think you could very well be right, I’m just concerned we’re going to have another Belgium game on our hands if we don’t get more skill on the field in advanced positions. JK says we need to be proactive, but you can’t do it if your attacking players aren’t dangerous enough to beat anybody. Then they just throw numbers forward because they don’t have any fear. If we want to sit and bunker again, Zusi is your guy, if we’re actually going to try to play, you have to get FJ forward and get Nagbe on the field.
Congrats to our US soccer team for reaching the Copa America Semis, they left all on the soccer field and they barely came out victorious. Ecuador pushed them to the brink, they bent but never broke. The American fighting spirit was in full effect all the way and never gave up. I am so proud of our team, they may not be the best team in the Copa, but we sure havery each other’s back. Now, bring one the world’s best play, LIONEL MESSI
Please, no Beckermann. He has looked terrible against top level competition.
Just to give everyone a little hope for the semis- Ecuador is second in CONMEBOL QC qualifying, behind Uruguay, and ahead of Argentina. They defeated Argentina on the road, 2-0, last October.
Oh
Wow. Stress. And joy. Boys worked hard tonight. Ecstatic we made the semis. Anything more is just a cherry on top. That’s a tired team going forward…except the card subs. I think Zardes slides forward to replace Wood, who was amazing tonight. Zusi takes right mid. Nagbe moves center. And Beckerman likely anchors. Either way, proud of em, and love that noise from the Seattle crowd. Hope Houston surprises me and brings it too.
Joy & stress indeed. Where’s the drinks when ya need em. The Seattle crowd was great if not as large as I’d hoped for. Houston usually does a decent job. I was there for USA v Panama semis Gold Cup ’11 and it was loud. Tho that’s also because it was a doubleheader including Mexico. First I’m savoring this historic night for the US mens’s soccer program. That’s a very good team they just beat. Well done lads
Please don’t start Beckerman in the semis. I like him for the role of coming on and killing 20 minutes when we lead, but not at the start of the match. He is just too slow at this point to be covering for too long against Argentina. Put on Nagbe, Pulsilic, or someone else.
We are most likely playing Argentina which will mean they possess the ball the majority of the game in our half. We need Becks defensive abilities in this game. If it was against any other opponent still in the tourney I’d say sure to Nagbe and Pulisic, but in this one we need to think more defensive.
This is where not bring in Morris hurts us. Wondo is nothing. You needed speed and fire and fearlessness that morris has. He is the future. This will bite us. Wood is out and morris could have helped.
Agreed. No Wondo hater here, but would love Morris, even as a bench option, with Wood out. Loving me some Bobby right now. Dude works his ass off.
Before the tournament started and after the Colombia game, too, I thought the goal of reaching the semifinals was really unrealistic. Then, before this game, I had a feeling that we would lose because of Yedlin not being there. I’ve never been happier to be totally wrong.
With great effort often comes positive results. In such circumstances almost anything is possible. I’m a little surprised too, but not ith that work rate. Well done USA
Need Robs hot take on this one… Imagine he’s in the fetal position crying in his mothers basement.
Him and el Comandante are drying each others tears. Awe poor babies
I can’t predict what JK will do, but Beckerman likely starts.
Possibly Nagbe for Bedoya, I am not sure who takes the forward spot, possibly Pulisic, but I wouldn’t rule out Wondo.
I think JK likes Zardes where he is playing and don’t think he will move him up, no matter where he plays for LA.
I think Benjamin or Ac above have the likely options, depending if he wants to push FJ into the midfield or not. Going to be interesting watching beckerman as he tries to keep up with messi(I’d assume). We got where we needed to go, anything can happen now.
Can the red be appealed? Don’t think he even touched the guy, and that was a very poor call. You can appeal in league play, what about tournaments?
You make a fist and push someone’s face and you might get sent off. I don’t think the ref was wrong in showing red. Just idiotic by Jones.
A fist and punch? We might have been watching different games, cuz that was more of a slap and miss. That doesn’t get called at my daughter’s u-13 game. I could see that as a yellow, but only due to the fiery nature of that situation. Certainly not red. Ref bailed out Ecuador for being dirty as their red was deserved.
Push. Not punch.
Push not punch. Rest of my points remain the same.
The commentators made the point that a new rule took effect on June 1 that if a player touches another player in the face and it isn’t in the course of a challenge, it’s an automatic red. My guess is that JJ either wasn’t briefed or forgot the rule.
I heard the announcers. Call is still ridiculous. To have a rule like that eliminating all nuance or discretion is ridiculous. Just wondering if it can be appealed but nobody seems to know…
Ives posted a good video on his Twitter. the only reason Jones’ hand moved the way it did was because Arroyo actually hit Jones’ elbow. at first i thought Jones was a moron for doing something like that, but after seeing that, I think any card would be the wrong call.
Even if it was just a yellow, Jones would still miss the next game.
Copy and paste from mlsnet
Yellow card accumulation
If a player receives two yellow cards in two separate matches through group games or the quarterfinals, they will be suspended for the following game. Yellow card accumulation will be reset after the quarterfinals and cards from the first two rounds will not carry over into the semifinals or the final.
Well, unless the whiskey made me functionally illiterate, I read that to say that only Jones will be suspended for that boneheaded red card. Univision announcers were saying that the yellow card accumulation would suspend others as well.
The cards will not carry over. The suspensions incurred from cards and accumulation will. Because of the cards today wood and bedoya are already suspended.
U – S – A
Dempsey just played one of the best games I’ve ever seen him play. Just immense.
Despite the near own goal, Brooks was great too. What a win.
Other that Jones, who all is suspended for the semis?
Wood and Bedoya
I am ecstatic that we won, however this has to be said, Klinsmann’s game management was absolutely terrible. Bedoya should have been subbed off at least 10 mins earlier and he doesn’t use his third sub until the 93rd minute, really? Despite that this has been a great tournament for this team.
Third sub was in case of pk shootout and I think he was 10 minutes late on the subs. He has his reasons whether it be injury, fitness, miles on the opponent’s legs, formational… I though besides the two late subs Klinsmann was flawless and Ale was a liability ever since halfway through paraguay so he is no loss at all.
I can easily see what you mean. But a substitute is just as likely to be an initial detriment to the cohesiveness of a team as he us to be a benefit with their fresh legs. The fact is, while we scraping by, we WERE getting by, by playing in perfect harmony (it didn’t look like it, because of how gased we were, hut it was good defendive play).
With that said, as soon as jones was sent off, jk should’ve immediately put nagbe and even zusi in. Without jones harassing their players, lots of space was going to open up, and Ecuador had fresher legs. We should’ve put him in before Ecuador got in a rythm, and just tried to dominate posession immediately. A 1-0 lead is not a safe lead (as we found out), and we needed someone with fresh legs and mind, right away. They cant score if they don’t have the ball
i’d say his Bedoya management was terrible. he was clearly gassed by the 65th and they knew he was on a yellow. They didn’t sub him out until the 80th after he got his yellow due to a poor foul that was a result of exhaustion. Bedoya’s suspension is as much on JK as Bedoya.
Brave performance. Semis, here we come.
……..Dempsey……..
Zardes………Zusi….
………..Nagbe…….
….Becks…Bradley
FJ..Brooks..Cameron..Yedlin
………..Guzan…….
I’m guessing Zusi and Beckerman slot in for Bedoya and Jones. Nagbe in for Wood with Zardes sliding up top?
Early semi lineup:
Guzan
Yedlin Cameron Brooks Besler
Zusi Beckerman Bradley Johnson
Dempsey Zardes