USMNT 2 – Ecuador 1

The USMNT advanced to the Copa Centenario semifinals with a 2-1 win over Ecuador at CenturyLink field on Thursday. The USMNT plays the winner of Saturday’s Argentina vs Venezuela game (7pm ET – FX) in the semifinals on June 21 in Houston.

Clint Dempsey put the USMNT up in the 22nd minute, heading in a Jermaine Jones cross. Both teams went down a man in the 52nd with a red card to Jones and a second yellow card to Ecuador’s Antonio Valenica with the two players arguing over an Ecuador free kick. Gyasi Zardes made it 2-0 USMNT in the 65th minute. Michael Arroyo scored for Ecuador in the 74th, with Ecuador piling on the pressure and creating several chances to equalize. Referee Wilmar Roldan sent off Ecuador coach Gustavo Quinteros in the 90th minute after the Ecuador bench argued a call.

USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann chose Matt Belser to replace suspended defender DeAndre Yedlin, otherwise keeping the same lineup for the fourth game in a row. Klinsmann used all three of his substitutions, bringing on Kyle Beckerman for Dempsey in the 74th, Graham Zusi for Alejandro Bedoya in the 81st, and Steve Birnbaum for Zardes four minutes into stoppage time.

The USMNT will be without Jones in the semifinal due to his red card. They’ll also be missing Bedoya and Bobby Wood due to yellow card accumulation.

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