Copa America 2024 Group C Recaps: USMNT Stumbles While Uruguay Dominates
A nightmare scenario is unfolding for the United States after their 2-1 loss to Panama leaves them with a near must win against Uruguay in the finale.
One of if not the most stunning result so far in the tournament saw Panama push the United States towards a stunning group phase elimination while Uruguay pulled further away from what we thought should have been a walkover for the hosts.
PANAMA 2, UNITED STATES 1
The USMNT nearly got off to a much needed quick start against Panama just five minutes in, as Weston McKennie smashed home a loose ball only for VAR to rightly rule Tim Ream as offside when he played the rebound back towards the penalty area.
Ten minutes later VAR was called into action again, this time to upgrade a yellow card to a red for Tim Weah for a blow to the head against Panama’s Roderick Miller away from the ball.
Despite going down to ten men, the USA struck the opener through a Folarin Balogun wonder strike from the top of the box, as the AS Monaco striker became the second US player to score in consecutive Copa America games.
The lead was short lived as Cesar Blackman equalized for Panama on a long range effort through traffic to beat Matt Turner.
Gregg Berhalter made wholesale changes at halftime, replacing Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams and an injured Turner with defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, Johnny Cardoso, and Ethan Horvath putting the USA in a 5-man back line. Horvath (2 saves) almost immediately was called into action just minutes after the restart to save a knuckling long range effort from Edgardo Farina in the 49th.
The USMNT had a chance to go ahead in the 81st minute when McKennie sent a back post cross towards Ricardo Pepi but the substitute forwards header went straight down into the arms of Orlando Mosquera (2 saves).
A couple of minutes later Panama would generate their winner, after Antonee Robinson’s partial clearance was recentered into the box by Abdiel Ayarza and Jose Fajardo smashed home from close range.
More drama occurred right at the end of regular time, when Adalberto Carrasquilla chopped down Pulisic violently from behind to earn a straight red card but the USA couldn’t generate another chance on target with a last gasp set piece header by Chris Richards going waywardly over the goal.
URUGUAY 5, BOLIVIA 0
This game went pretty much how everyone thought it would. Uruguay scored early and later often, generating 7 big chances in a blowout win over Bolivia.
First half goals by Facundo Pellistri and Darwin Nunez followed up by late second half goals from Maxi Araujo, Federico Valverdo, and Rodrigo Betancur saw Marcelo Bielsa’s sqaud to the brink of the knockouts. Uruguay’s 9-for-18 shooting night dominated Bolivia’s 1-for-4 effort that saw La Verde fall to the bottom of Group C.
GROUP OVERVIEW
Yes, this loss is mostly on Tim Weah’s moment of stupidity but the USA had chances to still win this game and protect a lead and failed to do so.
Berhalter’s switch to a very defensive formation was understandable, but CCV had some very poor moments, nearly giving away a penalty in the second half only for VAR to intervene and wave it off and his mark stepped in front of him for the winning goal. The U.S. formation seemed disjointed and unable to possess with less influence in the midfield and high energy space eaters like Yunus Musah, Brendan Aaronson, and Haji Wright were all left on the bench.
Yes, Panama committed 19 fouls and only received three yellow cards and the one red, the vast majority of those coming late. Yes, the foul that likely led to Matt Turner’s injury should have been a booking but the US stooped to a level that Panama wanted them too and Weah took the bait.
That said, Berhalter and the USA did not recover in style in this one despite the go ahead goal. They’re struggling to get quality chances in the run of play and when they do the finishing just isn’t there. The USA in their four pre-Copa and group stages matches have scored three of their five total goals via wonder strikes - Pulisic’s FK vs Brazil; Pulisic’s opener vs. Bolivia; Balogun’s opener vs. Panama. There just isn’t enough creation and conversion from the run of play inside the box.
Now the United States is in dire straights. Essentially, they need to win against Uruguay to keep their knockout hopes alive and hope that Panama drop points or manage a low scoring win over Bolivia. There are scenarios where the USA can advance with a tie, and Uruguay getting knocked out on six points with blowout wins by the CONCACAF sides but the Yanks do not control their own destiny entirely. If Panama is able to run up a big total against Bolivia, the USA with have to answer with a multiple goal win over Uruguay.
Those finales will take place on Monday July 1st at 9pm EDT with the USA-Uruguay match from Kansas City and Bolivia-Panama from Orlando, FL.