Dempsey’s goal the difference as U.S. knocks out Paraguay
PHILADELPHIA >> The objective, Jurgen Klinsmann informed reporters Friday, was clear. Win and the U.S. would qualify for the quarterfinals of Copa America Centenario.
And that’s where the simplicity ended. Through 90 meandering minutes of the assorted craziness you’d expect from a winor-go-home, final match of group play, the U.S. persevered to tough out a 1-0 win over Paraguay.
The two key plot points — Clint Dempsey’s 27th-minute goal off a Gyasi Zardes cross, then DeAn- dre Yedlin’s two yellow cards in as many minutes in the 47th and 48th — left plenty of room for dramatic exposition, and the contentiousness between the teams filled the space.
But the story that prevailed among the oddities was the U.S.’s poise under pressure, resolutely seeing out a needed result with contributions from everywhere on the field.
“The way they grinded it out, the way how they kept the shape, discipline, the way they worked for each other, it was an outstanding performance,” Klinsmann said. “They all deserve a huge, huge compliment.”
The win moves the U.S. (2-1-0, 6 points) into the quarterfinals. Coupled with a 3-2 win by Costa Rica over Colombia, the U.S. wins Group A and will get the Group B runner-up (to be determined Sunday), next Thursday in Seattle. Whoever the opponent, the preliminary mission for Klinsmann’s team has been accomplished.
Paraguay (0-2-1, 1 point) needed a win and help to advance, fueling the desperate, foul-heavy soccer on display. The 2011 tournament runner-up is eliminated.
Man of the match honors went to John Brooks, the Hertha Berlin defender who delivered a domineering performance in reasserting his claim as the nation’s top center back of the present and future. But those around him made the choice of who shone brightest difficult.
“He was a beast,” midfielder Alejandro Bedoya said of Brooks, whose personal highlight was thwarting a 3-on-1 in the first half. “When I came off, I just saw him winning every header in the box. He was a beast out there. It’s great to see that. He’s got a bright future.”
Brooks’ central defense partner, Geoff Cameron, helped extinguish fires for a team that hasn’t surrendered a goal in the run of play in three games, notwithstanding goals off a penalty kick and corner kick in the opening loss to Colombia. Zardes, Jermaine Jones, Michael Bradley and an under-theweather Bedoya covered ground aplenty. Even fill-in right back and former Union player Michael Orozco did what was required to keep the zero after the “inexperienced” and “emotional” challenges that earned Yedlin the gate, in Klinsmann’s words.
“It’s a team that really is having a good time and is there for each other and their whole bench is right there,” Klinsmann said. “No matter who you bring off of the bench, they will give everything they have, and it’s fun to watch.”
The fun also stemmed from the barely contained craziness. Nine yellow cards were shown, six after Yedlin was dismissed. The melodrama included a brief stoppage as Chilean referee Julia Bascunan received medical attention for an apparent leg injury, ratcheting up the injury time to six minutes at the end of the game that the U.S. saw out with unusual calm. All on a night where Klinsmann, ever the tinkerer, kept the faith with the same starting lineup for a third straight time, a first for the national team since 1930.
The U.S. got the start it needed thanks to Dempsey. Zardes dashed to the byline down the left wing and squared a cross into a dangerous area that squibbed through a couple of challenges and found Dempsey 10 yards from goal. The Seattle Sounders forward made no mistake, putting his foot through the ball for his 51st career goal for the national team, six shy of equaling Landon Donovan’s program record.
Paraguay nearly went into halftime on level terms after a rare Brooks misstep, but Brad Guzan covered for his teammate. Dario Lezcano slipped into space on the right, but Guzan came out assertively, sliding feet-first to deny him in the 45th minute.
“I thought that was fantastic as far as our work rate, our desire, our hunger,” Guzan said. “It wasn’t pretty, we knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. Going down a man makes things that much more difficult. And to come away with the result that we did is great to see.”
Zardes could’ve ended matters in the 63rd minute when Bobby Wood played him in, but the Galaxy forward labored to his second touch, by which time the Paraguay
defense and goalie Justo Villar recovered to dispossess him.
From there, the play was all Paraguay. Lezcano was gifted an unmarked header on a Juan Iturbe cross in the 80th minute that he fizzled high. Guzan produced a phenomenal double save in the 82nd, kicking away Jorge Benitez’s effort, then getting his body in the way of Miguel Almiron’s follow. Defender Gustavo Gomez had the ball in the net in the 89th, but the assistant referee whistled him offside.
For all the challenges, the U.S. came out on top at full time, which is all that Klinsmann knew would matter. And it allows his team to turn the page on the next challenge: Hanging in there with the heavy South American hitters in the knockout stage and springing enough surprises to where they cease to be surprising.
“The old story is the underdog story,” Klinsmann said. “And I cannot hear that story anymore. I want to see them risk things. Let’s go for it.”