USMNT Prepares for Ecuador in Copa Knockout Round

After a 2-0 defeat to Colombia in the Copa America opener, optimism was shattered for the US Men's National Team. The Americans generated few chances, their captain looked ill-equipped and it seemed that this tournament would be more of the same for Jurgen Klinsmann's side.

The loss produced negativity from everywhere (including this blog) as Klinsmann's job came into question and many wondered whether or not the US would ever be able to take the next step in international competition. Klinsmann remained calm, saying that he felt his team played well, but it did nothing to quiet those who were disappointed in the Americans' opening act.

But disappointments have transformed back into optimism over the past week as the US closed out the group stage in impressive fashion. The Americans had to earn a win over Costa Rica to stay alive, and they left little doubt, defeating Los Ticos 4-0. They followed it up with a 1-0 win over Paraguay, playing stellar defense down the stretch with only 10 men for the final 40-plus minutes after DeAndre Yedlin's red card.

The pair of wins gave the US a group win with the next task being Ecuador in the quarterfinals. This is a match the Americans can certainly win, and if they do, it would most likely set up a semifinal match against Lionel Messi and Argentina. But that's down the road. Right now, the job is to knock out Ecuador, a team that features quality play up front in Enner Valencia and Antonio Valencia.

The US and Ecuador met in a May 25 friendly in which Darlington Nagbe produced the game-winning goal for the Americans in the 90th minute. Antonio Valencia did not play in that match after winning the FA Cup with Manchester United earlier in the week.

The biggest issue for the US entering Thursday's match will be replacing Yedlin who is suspended after his red card against Paraguay. Consistency, something Klinsmann has never shown during his time as manager, has been key for the US so far in the Copa America as they have put out the same lineup  However, he will be forced to shift things around with Yedlin out and seven other players with a yellow card.

Losing Yedlin for any match would hurt, but especially against a side with as much firepower up front as Ecuador. Enner Valencia has tallied two goals and two assists during the Copa, while Antonio found the back of the net once and assisted another. The pair have had a hand in four of La Tri's six goals so far in the tournament.

A win over 13th-ranked Ecuador would give Klinsmann a signature win in a major tournament, while also helping the Americans accomplish their goal of reaching the semifinals. It won't be easy to advance, but the US has shown they can play well when their backs are against the wall. For a manager trying to quiet his constant critics, Thursday night's match is as big as it gets.

The United States and Ecuador kick off at 8:30 p.m. CT on FS1.

Americans Kill Optimism in Copa Debut

All the fanfare and excitement that surrounded the Copa America was gone less than eight minutes into the tournament Friday night in Santa Clara, California for American fans. Cristian Zapata's fantastic finish off of a corner kick in the eighth minute proved to be the winner for Colombia as it defeated the host US squad, 2-0, in the Copa America opener. As has become custom, the match left US supporters searching their feelings, wondering how to feel after a defeat that puts the Americans in a difficult position moving forward.

On one hand, Colombia is ranked third in the world and a 2-0 defeat seems like nothing to hang heads about, but on the other hand, it was not necessarily a well-played match for the Americans despite the claims postgame that it was. Colombia's early goal off a corner kick was perfectly executed, but Geoff Cameron appeared to lose Zapata as he made a run around a pick. The goal crushed any early momentum the Americans had with the home crowd backing them and chances were few and far between in the first half.

Things got worse at the end of the half as DeAndre Yedlin was whistled for a handball in the box, which earned Colombia a penalty. James Rodriguez, who would later leave due to a shoulder injury, netted the penalty with authority, putting the US down two at the interval.

Clint Dempsey's strike from just outside the box midway through the first half was the only good look the Americans would have in the first 45 minutes, and it sailed just wide of the right post. With the exception of Dempsey's shot, the US struggled to get anything off set pieces and Michael Bradley continually found himself with the ball in the middle of the park, only to turn it over with an errant pass. His turnover led to the Yedlin handball, a play that summed up his night in a nutshell.

Dempsey provided the US with one more quality chance off a set piece in the second half, but Colombia's David Ospina made a diving save to maintain his clean sheet. Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic, a pair of newcomers who captured the nation's attention during friendlies leading up the Copa, both played well off the bench, but the US simply did not generate enough quality offensive chances to keep up with the Colombian side.

Bradley's poor play doomed the Americans and the lack of chances was a death sentence against a quality side like Colombia. So which is it for the US? Is it the glass-half-full outlook that besides two plays they played okay? Or is the glass-half-empty outlook that they generated only two shots on goal, while killing any optimism the fan base had about a quality showing in the opener?

These kind of debates have come to define Jurgen Klinsmann's time as manager and, quite frankly, it's getting old. For a country that wants to take the next step into international soccer relevancy, outcomes like Friday night's have to be seen as a disappointment. Surely nobody expected the US to go out and dominate against the world's third-ranked team, but only two shots on goal and poor play from the captain have to be deemed unacceptable.

Moving forward, the US will not face a team in Group A of the caliber that Colombia was, but Tuesday's match against Costa Rica in Chicago is a must-win for the Americans. The result is certainly attainable, but some adjustments will have to be made.

A win would put the Americans back in a good place in the group and might just rekindle that optimism that so many felt going into the tournament. For at least one writer, that would most certainly be true.

USA and Costa Rica kick off at 7 p.m. CT at Soldier Field in Chicago Tuesday night.

Copa, Euros Provide Packed Soccer Summer

I played soccer nearly my entire life. When I was five I began playing youth soccer and I continued playing until I was a sophomore in high school. I played every position throughout the years, but settled in at left back during my high school playing days. I enjoyed the game back then, but only enjoyed playing it. I couldn't seem to gain any interest in watching the sport or following any of the leagues or teams across the world. I was the definition of a bandwagon fan: I would root hard for the U.S. National Teams when they played in the World Cup, but that was it.

Times certainly have changed now. In December 2013 I traveled to London and was able to attend an Arsenal-Tottenham FA Cup match at Emirates Stadium. Seeing the North London Derby in person was an absolute thrill and I was treated to perhaps the best sporting event I'll ever attend. The passion of the fans was amazing and the level of play was elite. It's hard to describe how incredible the atmosphere is, but it's something that every sports fan should attempt to witness.

Since then, I've fallen in love with the game. I simply can't get enough of it. I have taken a liking to Arsenal and the Premier League, but I'll watch any soccer that's on television. Others may find it boring for the lack of scoring, but I find it exciting as sides try and crack each other's defense. The talent that each player possesses is incredible (40-yard passes on the money that a teammate brings down right on to their foot) and they make the game seem so effortless when in reality it is very difficult.  I'm now that guy who wakes up at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday to watch games and yesterday I found myself watching a friendly between Belgium and Finland in the middle of the afternoon when I could have been doing anything else in the world.

Now, as a fan of the game, this summer promises to be one of the biggest soccer summers ever. Tomorrow night the Copa America kicks off for the first time on U.S. soil and next week the Euro championships begin in France. For the first time ever, Lionel Messi will be coming to America to play in competitive matches and fans can watch 83 matches live between Copa and the Euros.

This is a huge summer for soccer in the U.S. It's the first Copa to be held outside of South America and matches will be played in 10 different cities across the country. The Americans were placed in a difficult group that includes Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay and if they advance through the group they will most likely meet Brazil. Certainly, if the game is going to continue to grow in this country than this is the summer for it to happen.

Whether you're a fan or not, take time to watch some games this summer. The world's greatest players will be on display and hosting the Copa America here in the United States is a huge step for this country when it comes to soccer. If you live in one of the host cities then make an effort to attend a game. There's something special about seeing the passion and enthusiasm that surrounds soccer. It is unrivaled by anything we have here in the States.

The Copa America will be held from June 3-26 and will air on FS1, Univision and Univision Deportes, while also being available on Fox Sports Go and Fox Soccer 2 Go. The Euro championships will be held in France from June 10 to July 10. That tournament will air on ESPN and ESPN2.