Following their 2-0 loss to Colombia in the opening Copa America Centenario match on Friday, the US Men’s National Soccer Team reasserted itself with a 4-0 victory over Costa Rica at Soldier Field in Chicago on Tuesday night.

USA Routs Costa Rica 4-0 In Second Copa America Game

The US has now put itself in position to advance to the Copa quarterfinals. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann kept the same lineup, 4-3-3, he insisted produced a strong performance against Colombia despite the score.

“We had the luxury finally to send the same 11 out,” said Klinsmann. “We switched after half an hour, the system, we went from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2; fluid, no problem. “You can see they start to smell each other and make runs off each other.”

Unlike Friday’s game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the crowd on Tuesday was dominated by US fans. However, Soldier Field was still less than two-thirds full, with a total attendance of 39,642, suggesting a lack of interest or overpriced tickets, or both.

Joel Campbell set the tone for the US defense not long after kickoff. Five minutes in, the Arsenal forward arrived unnoticed by three defenders to hook a bouncing ball just wide of keeper Brad Guzan’s goal from the edge of the area.

Two minutes of sustained pressure by the US were rewarded with a penalty when Costa Rica’s Cristian Gamboa pushed Bobby Wood as they fought over a high cross. Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey sent goalie Patrick Pemberton the wrong way on the penalty kick to give the US a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute for his 50th international goal.

“The important thing is that we got the win tonight and we’re still in the tournament,” Dempsey said.

Costa Rica put Pemberton in goal after Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas recently became injured.

In the 25th minute, Gyasi Zardes nearly gave the US another goal when he burst through on the left, but a heavy touch took him too far wide and his shot went into the side-netting. The Los Angeles Galaxy forward blasted a shot seven minutes later from about eight yards, but the ball went flying over the crossbar.

Dempsey then set up Colorado Rapids midfielder Jermaine Jones for a quick strike into the bottom corner, and Jones fired a low shot past Pemberton in the 37th minute to push the US’s lead to 2-0. Until Tuesday, Costa Rica had not conceded more than once in any of their last 15 games. Hawaiian forward Bobby Wood, 23, blasted his own low shot five minutes later– thanks to another assist from Dempsey– to put the US up 3-0 at halftime.

Costa Rica improved somewhat in the second half, but not enough. Celso Borges almost scored a goal 10 minutes after the break, but shot too high. Bryan Ruiz hit the right post with a header just a few minutes afterward.

Midfielder Graham Zusi came off the bench and sealed the win for the US by slotting home a left-footer in the 87th minute after finding himself wide open.

“We think they deserve a huge, huge compliment for tonight’s performance,” Klinsmann said, adding that he believes this is the most difficult group in the tournament. “It took a little bit to kind of grind ourselves into the game in the first 15-20 minutes but once the first goal came we kept pushing for the next one and then pushing for the next one.”

The US will next face Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday for their final Group A matchup. Paraguay lost 2-1 to Colombia on Tuesday.

PHOTO: CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 07: Oscar Duarte #6 of Costa Rica blocks a shot attempt by Clint Dempsey #8 of the United States during a match in the 2016 Copa America Centenario at Soldier Field on June 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. The United States defeated Costa Rica 4-0. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Argentina shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to defeat Chile 2-1 in their opening Copa America game in Santa Clara, California on Monday night.

Argentina’s Angel Di Maria Dedicates Goal To Late Grandmother

While star Barcelona forward Messi sat on the bench with a back injury, midfielder Angel Di Maria put the 14-time champions up early in the second half by scoring the opening goal.

Di Maria, 28, beat Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo at his near post with a low shot in the 51st minute. The young Argentine immediately ran toward his team’s bench where he was a handed a t-shirt revealing his tribute to his late grandmother, a message that read “Grandma, I will miss you so much.”

Di Maria’s grandmother died just hours before the game. “I wanted to play, my grandmother was so proud that I played for the national team,” added a tearful Di Maria following the game, after being awarded the man of the match award.

“I am so happy because I was able to score. It was for my grandmother and my family that are having a difficult time. In the morning when I knew what happened I knew that I would score today, and that happened, and it was for her.”

Di Maria also posted the following picture of him and his grandmother on Instagram, captioning it: “Sweet grandma, rest in peace next to grandad. Thank you for having made me so happy and for giving me the values I take forward with me today. I love you with all my heart.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGUxnVICDw1/

Argentina doubled their lead eight minutes later in a similar way, after Di Maria sent a pass to Ever Banega in the same position on the left and his deflected drive beat Bravo again at his near post.

“If you make mistakes in these games you pay a high price and that is what happened today,” Bravo said in a post-game interview.

Erik Lamela, who came on in the second half as a substitute, twice came close to furthering Argentina’s lead, but Chile ultimately scored their lone goal in stoppage time following a mistake from Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero. 

Romero, who played fantastic the rest of the game, underestimated a free kick in the box from Fabian Orellana in the 93rd minute and Jose Pedro Fuenzalida headed the ball into the net.

In the other Group D game, played earlier on Monday, Panama beat Bolivia 2-1.

Argentina will next play Panama in Chicago on Friday, while Chile will face Bolivia in Foxboro, Mass., also on Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQZkA9Qgsa0

PHOTO: SANTA CLARA, CA – JUNE 06: Angel Di Maria #7 of Argentina dribbles the ball up field against Chile during the 2016 Copa America Centenario Group match play between Argentina and Chile at Levi’s Stadium on June 6, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The US Men’s National Soccer Team suffered a crushing 2-0 loss to Colombia in the opening game of the Copa America Centenario tournament in Santa Clara on Friday.

USA Falls To Colombia 2-0 In Copa America Centenario Opener

“Obviously we got punished for two set pieces in the first half, and then against such a quality team it’s very difficult if you don’t score the one goal to get back into the game,” US head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said afterwards. “We didn’t give them anything. When you open up towards the end you risk a counter here and there, which is their strength. But overall, I’m very pleased with the performance.”

Colombia is ranked as the third-best team in the world by FIFA.

Klinsmann decided not to start 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Christian Pulisic, who became the team’s youngest-ever scorer in the modern era against Bolivia just last week. Instead, he chose the 4-3-3 lineup that performed so well in the second-half of the 4-0 victory over Bolivia, with Clint Dempsey, supported by Bobby Wood and Gyasi Zardes up front, dropping back deep when necessary. Brad Guzan started in goal, while DeAndre Yedlin, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron and Fabian Johnson started as defenders.

This was the first time the US hosted a major soccer tournament since the World Cup in 1994. The US defeated Colombia 2-1 in that tournament, thanks in part to an infamous own goal by Andres Escobar. 

However, Colombia was the team who got off to a strong start on Friday. Just eight minutes in, Edwin Cardona fired a corner kick to the box, and Cristian Zapata sent a low shot past Guzan to give Colombia a 1-0 lead. It was Cameron who had lost Zapata in the crowd. “I’m a little frustrated in that,” Cameron said. “I’ll take responsibility. I know I could have done better.”

It wasn’t until the 15th minute mark that the US had their first noteworthy attack: a free kick from Dempsey 35 yards out cannoned into the wall.

Cardona’s skill in particular caused the hosts problems: in the 20th minute he flicked the ball over his own head before forcing Guzan into a good save, low down to the keeper’s left.

A penalty was called for Colombia in the 40th minute, after a cross into the box from Farid Diaz struck Yedlin’s hand. Yedlin had turned his back to the ball and raised his arm.  James Rodriguez stepped up and sent the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

“That penalty decision was a major point in this game,” said Klinsamann. “But it is what it is – you cannot change it any more.” The US had actually had 61% of the possession in the first half, but was unable to capitalize on this, and failed to register a single shot on target.

Colombia thought they had a penalty to start the second half: once again it was Cardona who caused problems for the US defence. His rifled shot was too much for Guzan, who spilled the ball at the feet of Bacca. The Colombian was felled by Cameron as his team-mates shouted for a spot-kick, but this time the referee ruled in favor of the hosts.

The US finally got their first shot on target in the 59th minute, when Dempsey rose to meet a corner and his header was scrambled off the line. Minutes later the same player’s free-kick forced David Ospina into a good save.

The US will next face Costa Rica in Chicago on Tuesday night, while Colombia will play Paraguay in Pasadena, also on Tuesday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX3BpO4jJJU

PHOTO: SANTA CLARA, CA – JUNE 03: Edwin Cardona #8 of Colombia tries to dribble around Jermaine Jones #13 of United States during the 2016 Copa America Centenario Group match between the United States and Colombia at Levi’s Stadium on June 3, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The 2016 Copa America Centenario is set to begin Friday night, with the host United States facing off against Colombia in the opening match to be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

US To Kick Off Copa America Centenario With Game Vs Colombia

The soccer tournament is typically held every four years in Latin America, but the 2016 edition marks the 100th anniversary and features six teams from CONCACAF in addition to all 10 CONMEBOL countries.

Following a rough start to both 2015 and 2016, the US Men’s National Team has won its last four games, including friendlies against Ecuador and Bolivia, in preparation for the tournament. The US most recently defeated Ecuador 4-0 on Saturday.

Colombia, which is ranked third in the world, reached the quarterfinals of the previous Copa America, as well as the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The United States is 3-10-4 all-time against Colombia, their most recent matchup in 2014 ending in a 2-1 victory for the latter.

The US men’s roster includes stars like Seattle Sounders midfielder Clint Dempsey, Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley, and Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan. 

The game will begin at 9:30 pm ET, and will air on Fox Sports 1 and Univision.

PHOTO: NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 21: The groups are set at the completion of the 2016 Copa America Centenario – Draw Ceremony at Hammerstein Ballroom on February 21, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)