US's Revival in Copa America

On This Day in 2016, The Americans are Back on Track with an Emphatic Victory Over Costa Rica

As the United States prepared for the most significant men's soccer tournament on American soil since the 1994 World Cup, the team's pre-Copa America form suggested they were ready for the challenge. The Americans had swept through their tune-up matches with growing confidence, winning all three preparatory friendlies by a combined 8-1 score to improve to an impressive 6-1-0 record in 2016. These included victories over Puerto Rico, Ecuador and Bolivia.

That momentum came to an abrupt halt, however, in the tournament opener against Colombia at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. Before a sellout crowd of 67,439 that heavily favored the South American side, the Americans found themselves down early when Cristian Zapata volleyed home from a corner kick in the eighth minute after breaking free from Geoff Cameron's marking. The deficit doubled before halftime when James Rodriguez converted a 42nd-minute penalty following a handball by DeAndre Yedlin, sealing a 2-0 defeat that left the U.S. facing an uphill battle in Group A.

"It's obviously disappointing and frustrating because I think they were there for the taking," Cameron said after the Colombia loss, reflecting the team's belief that, despite the scoreline, they weren't entirely outplayed. But with zero points from their opening match, the Americans found themselves in a precarious position heading into their second group game against Costa Rica at Chicago's Soldier Field—a match that coach Jurgen Klinsmann labeled a "must-win."

Adding to the pressure was U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati, who, before the Costa Rica match, pointedly noted that recent results for the men's team "haven't been what we would have hoped for, especially in the official competitions." The subtext was clear: Klinsmann's position could be in jeopardy without a positive result. Despite these mounting tensions, the coach showed faith in his players by fielding the exact same starting eleven that had fallen to Colombia.

That confidence in continuity would be rewarded on a cool, cloudy June 7 evening in Chicago before a crowd of 39,642. After weathering an early scare when DeAndre Yedlin's poor clearing attempt nearly gifted Joel Campbell an opportunity, the Americans quickly settled into the match. The breakthrough came in the ninth minute through a well-worked sequence down the right flank. Yedlin, making amends for his earlier mistake, broke free from Oscar Duarte and delivered a dangerous cross intended for Bobby Wood lurking at the back post. The pass appeared slightly heavy, but Costa Rica's Cristian Gamboa inexplicably shoved Wood in the back as both tumbled to the turf, giving referee Roddy Zambrano no choice but to point to the spot.

Amid protests from the Costa Rican players, Clint Dempsey stepped forward with characteristic confidence. The veteran forward drove the penalty kick past Patrick Pemberton, who dove the wrong way. The goal marked Dempsey's 50th in international play—a career milestone made even more special by coming at the same venue where he had scored his very first for the national team against England eleven years earlier, in May 2005.

With the early lead established, the Americans began to find their rhythm, controlling possession and probing the Costa Rican defense that clearly missed suspended defender Kendall Waston. The Ticos, who had managed a scoreless draw against Paraguay in their opener, looked increasingly disorganized as the half progressed.

The second goal arrived in the 37th minute through a brilliant counterattacking sequence. Jermaine Jones became both the catalyst and finisher of the move, first stealing the ball with a decisive tackle at midfield before quickly feeding Dempsey. The Seattle Sounders forward carried the ball deep into Costa Rican territory. With impeccable timing, Dempsey paused as if to shoot before cleverly laying the ball back to the onrushing Jones, who took a single touch to set himself before rifling a right-footed shot across Pemberton's dive and into the far corner of the net.

The second goal visibly deflated the Costa Ricans, who paused to huddle before the restart in an attempt to regroup. The brief conference did little to stem the American onslaught, as just five minutes later, in the 42nd minute, the U.S. struck again to essentially seal the result before halftime. Once more, it was Dempsey at the heart of the action. Receiving the ball in traffic, he threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Wood, who, fresh off a record-setting season in Germany's second division that had earned him a transfer to Bundesliga side Hamburg, showed why European clubs coveted his talents. With his back to goal, he executed a skillful turn to create space away from Duarte before firing a low, composed finish past the helpless Pemberton.

The three-goal outburst in the first half had utterly transformed the mood around the U.S. team. On the sideline, Klinsmann—who had maintained his composure through recent criticism—finally allowed himself a moment of celebration, thrusting both fists triumphantly into the air as the American bench erupted in cheers.

"We were eager to get on the field and get our first three points," Klinsmann said after the game. "It took us a while to grind ourselves into the game, but then when the first goal came, we kept pushing for the next one."

The second half brought little resistance from the Ticos. Costa Rica struggled to regain their shape or mount any sustained pressure against a confident American side. Their best opportunity came in the 67th minute when captain Bryan Ruiz rose to meet a cross but could only direct his header against the left post, with Brad Guzan beaten. The Americans remained dangerous on the counter, though they squandered several opportunities to extend their lead. Gyasi Zardes was particularly guilty of muffing two excellent chances that would have further padded the scoreline. Despite these missed opportunities, the U.S. defense, anchored by John Brooks and Geoff Cameron, looked much more composed than in the Colombia match.

As the match entered its final stages, Dempsey—the architect of the American resurgence with a goal and two assists—received a standing ovation when he was substituted for Chris Wondolowski in the 78th minute. The veteran forward acknowledged the crowd's appreciation as he made his way to the bench, having delivered a performance that reminded critics of his enduring value to the national team. The exclamation point came in the 87th minute through substitute Graham Zusi, who had replaced Wood earlier in the half. Collecting the ball on the right side, Zusi drove into the box before unleashing a precise low shot to the near post. The fourth goal completed the rout and sent an emphatic message to the rest of the tournament field that the Americans had regained their footing after the opening defeat.

The comprehensive victory dramatically altered the Americans' prospects in Group A. With Colombia's 2-1 win over Paraguay later that night, the U.S. moved into second place with three points while Colombia, with six points, secured advancement to the quarterfinals. The Americans now controlled their own destiny heading into their final group match against Paraguay in Philadelphia.

"It doesn't mean anything yet," cautioned captain Michael Bradley after the Costa Rica win. "Now we get ourselves ready for Saturday." A win or draw against Paraguay would be enough to secure progression to the knockout stages, while only a loss coupled with a Costa Rica victory over Colombia would eliminate the Americans.

The team's revival against Costa Rica demonstrated the resilience that had been a hallmark of U.S. teams in major tournaments. As Bradley had predicted before the match: "Since I've been on this team, one of its strengths has always been the ability to respond on big days." With their Copa America hopes revived and momentum restored, the Americans looked ahead to Philadelphia with renewed confidence that they could fulfill Klinsmann's stated goal of reaching the semifinals in this prestigious tournament.