The United States Men's National Team completed its series of friendlies in preparation for Copa America Centenario with a comfortable 4-0 win over Bolivia on Saturday at Children's Mercy Park.
Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler started and played 45 minutes as a left back in head coach Jurgen Klinsmann's recently implemented 4-3-3 setup, collecting his 33rd cap at the international level. Besler's club teammate Graham Zusi entered in the 73rd minute for his 35th international appearance as the U.S. MNT improved to 4-0-1 all-time at Children's Mercy Park and 6-0-1 in Kansas City.
Gyasi Zardes fired the U.S. ahead after 26 minutes, running onto the end of Alejandro Bedoya's lofted pass and slotting low past Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra. Bedoya also assisted the Yanks' second strike 11 minutes later, squaring low to John Brooks who side-footed into an empty net. Besler contributed to a backline effort that limited Bolivia to just two shots in the first half and none on target.
Klinsmann's men asserted further control after the break, going up 3-0 in the 52nd minute when Bobby Wood set up Zardes for his brace. Second-half substitutes Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic combined for the Americans' fourth in the 69th minute as Pulisic became the youngest U.S. MNT goal scorer during the modern era. Zusi made a 17-minute cameo in front of his home fans, helping the U.S. seal back-to-back victories against CONMEBOL opponents for the first time since 2003.
The U.S. MNT now travels to San Jose to train leading up to the opening match of the Copa America Centenario against Colombia on Friday at 8:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on FS1, Univision, UniMas and Univision Deportes Network.
U.S. MNT COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO SCHEDULE
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Time (CT) / TV</strong> |
<strong>Venue</strong> |
June 3 |
Colombia |
8:30 / FS1 |
Levi's Stadium<br>
Santa Clara, CA |
June 7 |
Costa Rica |
7:00 / FS1 |
Soldier Field<br>
Chicago, IL |
June 11 |
Paraguay |
6:00 / FS1 |
Lincoln Financial Field<br>
Philadelphia, PA |
The Copa America Centenario is a marquee international tournament headlined by the United States, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, featuring 16 nations from CONMEBOL (South America) and CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean). The competition is a celebration of the 100th anniversary of CONMEBOL and the Copa America, and will be the first edition of the prestigious tournament played outside of South America. Ten U.S. cities will host the event from Friday through June 26 as the Yanks make their fourth Copa America appearance (1993, 1995, 2007).
