Clint Dempsey drove the United States of America to the Copa America semi-final for the first time since 1995 as they saw off Ecuador in a thrilling clash in Seattle, which saw both teams reduced to 10 men.
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Gyasi Zardes recorded his fourth straight start for the United States Men’s National Team in the Copa America Centenario tournament.
Dempsey’s 52nd worldwide goal-his third of the tournament- early in the first-half gave US the lead before he set up Gyasi Zardes for the second as the U.S. continued its dream run.
The second US goal came from Gyasi Zardes with an assist from Dempsey in the 65th minute.
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.
Jones’ red card for an off-the-ball scuffle with Antonio Valencia in the 51st minute means he will miss next Tuesday’s semi-final against either Argentina or Venezuela.
Klinsmann said the semi-finals were the target before the tournament started and now his team have arrived there. Zardes guided Dempsey’s cross into the net in the 65th for his sixth goal and a 2-0 lead. “You don’t get a lot of opportunities in major competitions to go all the way so that’s what we’re trying to do”.
“Unfortunately we lost Jermaine for that incident which is an absolute joke”, Klinsmann said. Klinsmann was especially livid about Jones’ red card, which he received for pushing an Ecuador player after Bedoya had been taken down by Antonio Valencia. That was the first goal the US gave up since late in the first half of their first Copa America group stage game against Colombia. Journalist Diane Desobeau, with AFP out of France, said it is a big deal that the 100th anniversary of Copa is being celebrated in the U.S.
With right-back DeAndre Yedlin suspended, Klinsmann opted to switch usual left-back Fabian Johnson to right-back to contend with Ecuadorian speedster Jefferson Montero. He will need to play even better in the team’s next match as they will be without two key players in Bobby Wood and Jermaine Jones who will each be suspended.
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Dempsey, a striker who plays for local club Seattle Sounders, got the opener for the USA after 21 minutes when he rose to head home a deft cross from Jones. “Not easy, but they’re a team that have so much desire to grind it out”.
