After the United States’ 2-1 Copa America quarterfinal victory over Ecuador Thursday night, the team jogged and sprinted by turns around the pitch. It may have been helpful conditioning, but they looked like they were running for sheer joy, reveling in the cheers from the fans still filling half of CenturyLink Field here in soccer-mad Seattle.
The U.S. Men’s National Team had every reason to celebrate. After a scintillating run against strong opponents in a major tournament, they are no longer underachievers and have taken the red, white and blue to a new summit in soccer. Argentina may remind them in the Copa semifinals that the U.S. is not at the top of the mountain yet in the world game, but they’ve staked a claim as one of the finer squads coming out of the Americas.
Soccer may lag in popularity behind other sports in the U.S., but the country has the resources to field a team in the top 15 in the world. Even if they lose to Argentina – Lionel Messi’s squad is ranked number 1 – the USMNT certainly deserves to rise from its current 31st place worldwide. The roster is dotted with players starting on teams in the English and German first divisions, as well as stars in the improving domestic league and is suddenly playing like one.
All of the qualities that emerged during the group stage of the Copa America Centenario were on display in the win over Ecuador, the 13th-ranked team in the world. Despite several very close calls, central defenders John Brooks and Geoff Cameron and an assured Brad Guzan in goal denied a desperate Ecuador side. On offense, veteran Clint Dempsey and youngsters Bobby Wood and Gyasi Zardes justified Coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s faith in them, combining to generate several chances, including the two balls that found the back of Ecuador’s net.
Dempsey, who plays at CenturyLink Field regularly for Seattle Sounders FC, put on a show. After netting goals in the group-stage games against Costa Rica and Paraguay, he brought the crowd to its feet early in the game Thursday by rising above yellow shirts in front of the goal and nodding home. A rapacious predator in the box, he fought through contact in the second half to poke a shot across the goal mouth that Zardes slammed home.
Clouds periodically made an appearance on a fine Seattle evening and they drifted over the red, white and blue too, when midfielder Jermaine Jones and Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia were both sent off after a hard tackle triggered a near-melee.
Both teams had to play with just 10, but the change seemed to inspire Ecuador. Known for its speed on the wings, the South American side suddenly drove at the Americans with great determination. When Michael Arroyo put in a goal off a corner kick to halve USA’s lead, the battle was on. The last 20 minutes were a heart-stopping series of shots on the U.S. goal and near misses. Brooks and Guzan got crucial help from defensive midfielder Michael Bradley and right back Fabien Johnson.
The U.S. squad gave it all they had, left everything on the field and other clichés of that nature. They played with a kind of abandon, which might not bode well for their next game. Card accumulation means Wood, Bedoya and Jones will not be able to play. Even Guzan got a yellow for wasting time. It was as though the team, in the back of their minds, decided to live for today. Glory will probably be hard to come by in the semifinal, likely against the likes of Argentina’s Messi, Angel DiMaria and Jose Aguero.
So it’s no wonder the team kept sprinting around CenturyLink Field long after the final whistle. The top of Mount Everest may still be far off, but USA has arguably climbed higher up the mountain than ever before. Why not enjoy the view for a moment?
– Claude Iosso
