Copa America semifinals: USA 0-4 Argentina
USMNT faced today Argentina with Messi and his offensive armada to compete for a spot to the Copa America 2016 Final. It was with no doubt the biggest game in US Soccer’s history. However US hopes last only 5 minutes after Argentina and Lavezzi scored the first goal… The rest of the game was a total domination from Argentina, possessing the ball and not allowing the US team a single shot during the whole game!
The Final was close, one game away for US. It was the most important game for the US because the tournament is being hosted in the US and it was the best chance to win a major tournament for the team. Klinsmann has being building his team for the past 4 years for those moments, but again they came short. Argentina was the 2014 World Cup finalist and the best attacking force in the world with Messi, Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria, Lavezzi, etc.. They will now compete for their third straight final in the major tournament since the World Cup in 2014, Copa America in 2015 and now Copa 100 in the US.. Argentina’s victory in this tournament is essential for Messi’s legacy. They have not won Copa America since 1993.
Here are the post-game quotes from head coach Klinsmann:
“We just simply hit a far better team today. You were trying to scream on to the field saying, Go at them. Become physical. Step on their toes. I think there tonight you could clearly see in that moment that once we were 1-0 down, we had far too much respect for them.
We knew it was going to be a hard game before the whistle blew. When you go down a goal to the best team in the world at the moment, it becomes that much harder. After that first goal, there were maybe times when we gave them too much time on the ball. At the same time.
“After that early goal, I think that our players could feel that, probably in every position on the field, that they are just better than we are. I’m not critical with any player. It was a lesson. We hit the wall now. We had a fantastic run in this tournament and you have to give the opponent compliments and swallow that pill.”
