Indo-Asian News Service
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), June 12: The United States advanced to the quarterfinals of the Copa America Centenario for the second time with a 1-0 win over Paraguay at the Lincoln Financial Field despite playing the final 42 minutes with just 10 players. Paraguay were eliminated after the loss.
Clint Dempsey scored in the first half to put the US in front before De Andre Yedlin was sent off early in the second half Saturday.
Paraguay had a golden chance in the 11th minute, attacking three-on-one. The US centre back John Brooks stayed in position before delivering a perfectly timed tackle on Miguel Almiron. The decisive moment came in the 27th minute when Dempsey arrived right on time inside the box to smash it past goalkeeper Justo Villar for his second goal of the tournament. Costa Rica were on front foot after Yedlin was sent off in the 48th minute.
In another encounter Saturday, Costa Rica stunned the 2014 World Cup quarterfinalists Colombia 3-2 in a Group A encounter at the NRG stadium in Houston, Texas.
Johan Venegas put Costa Rica up 1-0 with a 20-yard strike to the upper left hand corner in the second minute. However, Frank Fabra scored the equaliser for Colombia five minutes later.
Costa Rica again took the lead when Venegas crossed the ball into the box from the left and Fabra accidentally ran into it and knocked it into the net as an own goal in the 34th minute. Celso Borges of Costa Rica struck from 15 yards in the 58th minute to extend the team’s lead to 3-1. Marlos Moreno though, cut it to 3-2 with a strike in the 73rd minute. But the goal was not enough to secure a point for Colombia.
As Colombia already qualified to the quarters, the loss however, makes their path more difficult as the team will likely to face Brazil following their loss.
