Cristian Zapata scored his first worldwide goal, James Rodriguez added a 42nd-minute penalty kick and Colombia beat the United States 2-0 Friday night in the opener of the Copa America.
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No. 3 Colombia, a World Cup quarterfinalist two years ago, went ahead in the eighth minute on an unseasonably warm night when Zapata volleyed from about 10 yards off a corner kick from Edwin Cordona. The U.S. needs more from him than this.
Velez feels strongly about how young soccer players are developed and hopes the training tool, which is made by a company he manages, will help bring on a more skilful generation of players.
A draw there in Orlando would be the ideal result for the USA – it would enable them, with a win over Costa Rica on Tuesday, to head into the final game of the group stage in second place, provided Colombia defeat or draw with Paraguay, also on Tuesday.
“It’s a little sacrifice for our country”, he said. By holding onto the ball with patience in the attacking half, the US can keep the ball from Colombia’s unsafe players and pick and choose when to go on goal, looking to exploit the wings. Sure, Bacca did hit the crossbar, and Juan Cuadrado did terrorize the left side of the US lineup in the first half, but the USA never let the Colombians through aside from a blown assignment on a corner kick and a penalty kick. “I thought we were the better team”.
“We were absolutely OK with the team performance”.
“Clint was a warrior out there giving everything he had”, Klinsmann said. It was Bradley’s giveaway in his own half that gave Colombia a golden opportunity late in the first half, and after Bradley’s desperate foul was waved off by the referee (correctly) playing advantage, Yedlin was whistled for a handball in the box.
The kindest analysis is that while Colombia is a settled team with several proven players at ease performing at elite level, the United States of America is still finding its way.
The 45th edition of Copa America has started on Friday night in Santa Clara, CA at Levi’s Stadium on June 3.
Both teams make a good shit at making the second round, but are in a hard group with Costa Rica, who surprised t the 2010 World Cup, and Paraguay, always a sturdy opponent. “Whatever path they took the last two years, we’ve got to make it clear to them you’ve got to do more”. The AC Milan striker’s shot hit the crossbar. The Americans struggled to create chances for themselves, not registering their first shot on goal until the 60th minute.
The players also feel a sense of responsibility to perform in front of hometown fans. Guzan was picked by Klinsmann to start in the tournament over Howard, the Americans’ goalkeeper at the last two World Cups. The South Americans sat back and waited for the U.S.to produce something that could trouble their defense, but it never came.
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Dempsey had three great chances, sending one just wide, and having two others saved dramatically in the second half.
