Both sides finished with 10 men after Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia received his second caution and American Jermaine Jones got a straight red, both in the 52nd minute.
Advertisement
The US opened the scoring in the 21st minute through former Fulham and Tottenham, and current Seattle Sounders star Clint Dempsey, who rose above his marker to powerfully head home Jones’ chipped ball from the edge of the area.
United States 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.
Jefferson Montero started all four Copa America 2016 matches for Ecuador and was one of the main attacking engines of the team tallying two assists, six shots with two on target, three fouls and drawing five fouls against himself.
The subsequent 10 v 10 circumstances should’ve benefitted Ecuador, but the US scored in the 75th minute on tap-in from Gyasi Zardes off a Dempsey cross. In the fracas that followed Jermaine Jones was sent off for jabbing Arroyo in the face and Bobby Wood picked up a yellow card, meaning both will be absent for the semi-final. The semifinals match between US and the eventual victor will take place on Tuesday, June 21 at Houston’s NRG stadium.
“We’ve come so far now and now we get even hungrier for the next step”, said usa coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is the venue as the two South American nations vie for a spot in the semi-finals of the special-edition tournament on Friday. Like a repetition from his goals in Europe, Dempsey jumped to intercept the ball midair with a header putting the ball in the top right corner completely out of Alexander Domínguez’ reach. Ecuador, for most of the part were poor and wobbly, and really sprung into life after Arroyo had pulled one back on 74 minutes.
Deep into stoppage time, the South Americans were inches away from levelling as American John Brooks nearly turned the ball into his own net but fortunately saw the ball sail wide. Players from both sides squabbled and Jones was also sent off for appearing to make contact with Arroyo’s face.
Advertisement
US coach Jurgen Klinsmann moved Fabian Johnson across the field to right back and inserted Matt Besler on the left side of his defense for the game. Klinsmann moved Matt Besler to right back as the replacement.
