Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez. (Photo : Getty Images)
The United States and Colombia face each other in the Third Place Playoff of the 2016 Copa América Centenario after coming out of their respective semifinals meetings in the losing end. The said match will be held at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale on Saturday, June 25.
USMNT clashed with Argentina at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Tuesday in the first semis fixture and suffered an expected 0-4 thrashing in the hands of the FIFA world no. 1 national squad, ESPN reported.
The South Americans proved to be the better team in all aspects of the game as Team USA only had 30% of ball possession and zero shots on target in the entire contest. Head coach Jürgen Klinsmann achieved the team's goal of reaching the semifinals, however, even as they lost to an evidently much superior side in Argentina.
Forward Ezequiel Lavezzi scored the opening goal at the third minute off an assist by Barcelona's Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain scored one for himself with a penalty kick at the 32nd, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's record-breaking 55th international goal and tournament-leading fifth score.
Two more goals in the second half, both scored by Serie A top scorer Gonzalo Higuaín of Napoli with the second one assisted again by Messi, completed La Albiceleste's four-goal haul.
Meanwhile, Colombia suffered an almost similar 0-2 setback to the tournament's defending champions Chile at the Soldier Field in Chicago on Wednesday, as per The Guardian.
Two quick goals by La Roja in the opening minutes, courtesy of midfielders Charles Aranguiz and Jose Pedro Fuenzalida at the seventh and 11th minutes, buried Los Cafeteros early as head coach José Pékerman's side were not able to retaliate for the rest of the match.
With the loss, Colombia again failed to advance in the final of the said tournament, with their last trek to the last two being in 2001, when they won the Copa over Mexico, 1-0.
Team USA will get back their three suspended influential players - Jermaine Jones, Alejandro Bedoya, and Bobby Wood - in this third-place match against La Tricolor, yet they remain as the underdogs as the latter had already beaten them during the Group A opener, 2-0.
The predicted result is a tough 2-1 victory for Colombia.
United States starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Guzan; Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson; Zardes, Bradley, Beckerman, Zusi; Wondolowski, Dempsey
Colombia starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Ospina; Arias, Zapata, Murillo, Fabra; Torres, Celis; Cuadrado, Cardona, Rodriguez; Bacca
