The United States Men’s National Team held on to defeat the Ecuador National team 2-1 on Thursday night at Centurylink Field in Seattle, Washington.
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USA legend Clint Dempsey, form Fulham star who now plays his club football for the Seattle Sounders, nodded in the opening goal after 22 minutes from a well placed Bobby Wood cross – sending the Seattle crowd into raptures.
Ecuador did not down, regardless, and a free-kick collection from Walter Ayovi set up Arroyo to impact home an equalizer with a pitiless shot from outside the region in the 74th moment.
The American saw red for seemingly slapping Michael Arroyo in the face, while Valencia was also dismissed for a second yellow card. The USMNT won’t know their specific opponent until Argentina and Venezuela play their quarterfinal game on Saturday, but Argentina are the favorites in that one.
It was Dempsey’s continuing heroics that proved to be the difference. “So it was not by accident that they got us into big difficulties the last 15 or 20 minutes, because this is one of the top teams in the world”.
And the Americans did it on the back of Dempsey, their fiery 33-year-old striker whose place on the USA team was debated early this year.
Colombia reached the semifinals of the Copa America Centenario by beating Peru on penalties in New Jersey. Murillo had another chance off a corner kick in the 90th minute, but Peru goalkeeper Christian Ramos came up with his first save of the match when his team need him the most. Jermaine Jones and players from both teams clustered, with some pushing.
Cameron now returns to his former club Houston Dynamo’s NRG Stadium hoping to help the States make it into the final for the first ever time.
Meanwhile, Peru has now made a habit of making to the knockout stages of the Copa America tournaments since 1997.
The U.S. squad had been in a rut for the better part of two years heading into the competition. Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes netted for Jurgen Klinsmann’s side before Ecuador’s late fightback following Michael Arroyo’s goal failed to materialise.
But Klinsmann, who has coached the USMNT since 2011, has gone with a more veteran lineup in the Copa America and has made nearly no changes to his starting 11 from game-to-game. Wood went in for a reckless challenge against the ball-carrier, and received a yellow card and ban for the semifinal for the foul.
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The midfielder picked out Dempsey with a superb cross and the former Tottenham and Fulham stalwart duly headed home.
