Group A winners the United States are set to meet Group B runners-up Ecuador in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Copa América Centenario on Thursday, June 16 at the CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Hosts Team USA, currently ranked 31st in the world by FIFA, will look to further advance in the tournament as they meet struggling La Tricolor, who have drawn their first two games in the group stage before finally waking up against Haiti in the final game of Group B competitions. Both teams are coming off crucial wins that let them qualify in the last eight.
USMNT nipped tough CONMEBOL squad Paraguay in the third round of Group A matches, 1-0, at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia last Saturday, as per The Guardian.
Seattle Sounders striker Clint Dempsey scored the lone and winning goal of the contest at the 27th minute off an assist from forward Gyasi Zardes to hand the Americans their second straight win after surrendering their tourney opener to world no. 3 Colombia.
The win propelled head coach Jürgen Klinsmann's boys to the top of their group and past Colombia, who lost their final round meeting with Costa Rica, as they officially entered the quarters of this summer's Copa.
Meanwhile, Ecuador dumped Haiti, 4-0, in Group B's final round game at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday, ESPN reported.
Four different players scored a goal each for manager Gustavo Quinteros' squad, namely Enner Valencia, Jaime Ayovi, Christian Noboa, and Antonio Valencia at the 11th, 20th, 57th, and 78th minutes respectively to complete the Yellows' four-goal haul.
Ending up with five points in the group standings, the win was enough for Ecuador to qualify in the knockout stages after settling to draws with Brazil and Peru in their first two games of the group stage.
The United States have the momentum and home crowd advantage as they face La Tri on Thursday and that would be sufficient to make them prevail and enter the semifinals.
The predicted result is a close 2-1 win for the United States.
United States starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Guzan; Besler, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson; Zardes, Bradley, Jones, Bedoya; Dempsey, Wood
Ecuador starting lineup (4-2-2-2 formation): Dominguez; Paredes, Mina, Erazo, Ayovi; Noboa, Gruezo; A. Valencia, Montero; E. Valencia, Ayovi