A star-studded celebration of the world’s oldest worldwide football tournament will get under way in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday when the United States takes on Colombia to open the Copa América Centenario.
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Cristian Zapata and James Rodriguez scored before halftime to send Colombia to a 2-0 win over the United States on Friday night in the opening match of the Copa America Centenario in Santa Clara, Calif.
The South Americans did not take long to strike with Cristian Zapata delivering the first goal in the eighth minute, the defender seizing on a corner kick from the left and volleying the ball into the back of the net.
“Overall, we were totally even”, Klinsmann said. Los Ticos’ last major tournament was the 2014 World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals without losing a match in regulation. Klinsmann sought to put a positive spin on the game, insisting his team had competed as equals.
“We can play with them, we can damage them”, he said afterward.
– After the 2-0 result, Colombia has a 90 percent chance to advance out of the group into the knockout round. “I think the players take a lot out of this game”. “We need three points against Costa Rica“.
Juergen Klinsmann has long talked of the Copa America Centenario as a measuring stick for his national team, a way to see how the US stacks up against some of the world’s top soccer nations.
The US emerged from the interval on the front foot and twice came close to pulling a goal back via Dempsey.
In front of a sold-out crowd at Levi’s Stadium, the usa conceded two first-half goals and simply could not find the Colombia net.
Likewise with Colombia, which called in its big guns for the opening clash after captain James and Edwin Cardona were drafted into the starting line-up as Dayro Moreno and Marlos Moreno made way in the only changes to the side that saw off Haiti 3-1 on Thursday (AEST).
The hosts struggled to build any sort of momentum after that, with Colombia flooding midfield and pressing the Americans relentlessly. Monterrey’s Cardona proved to be a menace to the U.S. back four throughout, tormenting Cameron and DeAndre Yedlin in quick succession midway through the half before shooting on goal. The Americans finally registered its first meaningful shot in the 36th minute on Clint Dempsey’s left-footed laser that sailed just wide of the left post.
In 42′ minute new shock for the hosts.
Referee Roberto Garcia of Mexico wasted no time awarding Colombia with a penalty. Rodriguez duly stepped up to stroke home the spot-kick and Colombia were in total control.
The visitors started dominating over the hosts from the very beginning. Michael Bradley found the head of Dempsey, but the ball was cleared off the line by Colombian defender, Sebastian Perez. And in the 64th minute, Dempsey hit a rasping free kick that Ospina denied with a brilliant diving save – the kind that showed why English power Arsenal has Ospina on its books.
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In the 77th minute, the U.S. dodged a bullet when Carlos Bacca found himself alone racing down the left side of the field before he rammed his shot off the crossbar.
