“It’s a must-win situation when you lose your first one”, said Klinsmann. “You have three games, you have to find a way to get your points”.
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It was after the first goal from Dempsey that the team began to play like they had lifted a big monkey off their backs. The United States lost a game where they controlled the possession for most time of the match without creating many risky attempts on goal.
Along with Colombia, Group A features the United States, Costa Rica and Paraguay.
Costa Rica exerted early pressure, but the USA were able to get up the field and earn themselves a penalty in the 8 minute.
The US had switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 around the 30th minute of the first half, but Dempsey didn’t think that was necessarily why he produced more in the closing minutes of the half. Michael Bradley, who had perhaps one of his worst games as a USA global against Colombia, looked much more confident on the ball.
Jermaine Jones got a pass from Dempsey in the 37th minutes and kicked it across the field for the goal to make it 2-0. Clint Dempsey was world class, scoring the opening goal on a penalty and chipping in two assists.
“I apologize to Costa Rican fans”.
As it had in its Copa America opener against Costa Rica, Paraguay posed a threat from set pieces throughout the 90 minutes and looked to have cut the deficit in the 33rd minute, when Oscar Romero delivered a ball into the box that was glanced into the back of the net by Paulo da Silva. The center back partnership between Hertha BSC’s John Anthony Brooks and Stoke City’s Geoff Cameron continues to impress, as the two have continually displayed the ability to prevent shots on goal from open play. The United States will travel to Chicago next Tuesday to face Costa Rica, while Colombia will travel to Pasadena to face Paraguay on the same day. It’s just that these good plays were so few and far between that they were forgettable. A win or a draw will secure the top spot and help them avoid a showdown with Brazil in the quarterfinals. It was yet another clinical display from the World Cup 2014 quarter-finalists.
“Here and there, we maybe didn’t play as well as we did against Colombia, but we scored goals”, Klinsmann said after the win. “Today everything was flawless”.
The U.S.’s 4-0 beating of Costa Rica on Tuesday means that the host nation can advance with a win or a draw against Paraguay, assuming Colombia beats Costa Rica.
The Americans have no chance to overtake Colombia for first place in Group A, so their motivation to win may not be as strong as it was prior to taking on Costa Rica.
Clint Dempsey’s penalty kick goal jumpstarted the United States in its 4-0 win over Costa Rica on Tuesday.
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Rodriguez fell and dislocated his shoulders during the second half of Colombia’s game against the U.S last Friday, June 3.
