SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Facing a two-goal deficit early in the second half of the Copa America Centenario opener Friday, the U.S. men's national team was left to chase shadows, both figuratively and literally, in the South Bay twilight.
The margin remained the same, but the outcome was barely in doubt as Colombia secured a 2-0 victory.
Participating in one of world soccer’s most fabled competitions for the first time in nine years, the Americans cannot afford another defeat in their remaining Group A matches against Costa Rica on Tuesday in Chicago and Paraguay next Saturday in Philadelphia.
Clint Dempsey threatened three times, but by and large, the United States was no match for the third-ranked team in the world. Cristian Zapata scored on an eighth-minute volley and James Rodriguez converted a penalty kick in the 42nd.
U.S. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann did not believe his team was that far behind. Several times during his postgame news conference, he said the United States was even with the Colombians.
“There was no difference,” he said, “besides the two goals.”
Over the course of 90 minutes, he added, the U.S. team learned “we can play with them, we can damage them.”
The Americans, however, did not have many ideas to begin with. By early in the second half, they had run out of them. The best opportunities came off set pieces, not the run of play. Colombia’s compact, organized resistance thwarted every foray.
Klinsmann’s lineup, almost always a source of intrigue, followed patterns set in the three tune-up matches.
Brad Guzan featured in goal, with Geoff Cameron and John Brooks partnering in central defense and DeAndre Yedlin and Fabian Johnson on the corners. Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya, who has Colombian family roots, formed the heart of midfield. Gyasi Zardes and Bobby Wood manned the flanks and Dempsey served at the peak of the attack.
Colombian Coach Jose Pekerman didn’t spring any surprises either. His lineup featured Real Madrid’s Rodriguez, the leading scorer at the 2014 World Cup; Juventus’s Juan Cuadrado; and AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca.
With the tournament fusing the Americas for the first time, the scene Friday reflected shifting U.S. demographics. Colombian colors were dominant inside the NFL stadium. Similar scenes will play out in other venues, most pronounced for Mexican matches.
Amid a colorful and electric backdrop, Colombia rewarded its backers in the early going.
Cameron had done well a moment earlier, intervening in the box to prevent trouble. On the ensuing corner kick, however, the Premier League defender lost track of Zapata, who curled around another a two-player tussle.
Zapata, an AC Milan defender, had the sliver of space and time needed. Edwin Cardona’s corner kick met him in the heart of the penalty area for a crackling volley past Guzan.
Colombia formed a circle and did a happy dance. The United States trudged back up field seeking a response.
The Americans found their footing but struggled to unlock Colombia’s defense. Only a few times did they project a sense of menace through possession.
In the 36th minute, Zardes’s turn set up Dempsey for a 25-yard bid that whistled a whisker wide of the left post.
The Americans could’ve worked with a one-goal deficit at intermission, but before they got there, calamity struck.
After Bradley squandered possession, Farid Diaz crossed from the top corner of the box. Yedlin turned his back on the ball, which struck his right hand.
Here was one of soccer’s notorious gray areas: It was not intentional, but he did raise his hand into the path of the ball, resulting in a penalty kick.
“It wasn’t deliberate,” Yedlin said. “I didn’t try to stop it with my hand or anything, but it hit my hand and the ref thought it was blatant enough to call the penalty.”
Guzan added: “I’ve seen those a million times not given, I’ve seen them given.”
On the penalty attempt, Guzan committed to his right and Rodriguez converted to the other corner for a 2-0 lead.
“And then it’s really tough against a team like Colombia,” Jones said. “They started to control the game. We always were maybe a step too late.”
Klinsmann did not make any changes at halftime, but if the scoreline remained the same for much longer, he would have to introduce one or both of his promising but novice attackers, Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic.
As the visitors knocked the ball around without a care in the world, Jones tried to spark something by racing out of his midfield position and applying desperate, futile pressure on the Colombian backline.
The United States came to life on the only method plausible: set pieces.
In the 60th minute, Dempsey headed a corner kick with purpose, but Sebastian Perez cleared the ball off the goal line. Four minutes later, Dempsey curled a wonderful free kick from 25 yards; David Ospina made a wonderful save, soaring to his left to punch away the threat.
Sensing opportunity, Klinsmann turned to Pulisic and Nagbe at the expense of Wood and Jones. Colombia, though, turned the match back in its favor. Bacca smacked the crossbar with a wicked bid in the 77th minute.
Time melted away with only sporadic whimpers from the Americans.
“Only game one, still two more games to go,” Bradley said, “and we have no choice but to respond in a big way.”
