Can the USA pull off one of the biggest upsets in soccer history by knocking off Lionel Messi and No. 1-ranked Argentina in the Copa America semifinals?
Here are six things that the Americans will need to do to accomplish the feat:
No Giveaways In Defensive Third
The USA’s deep-lying mids and the center backs cannot afford any giveaways. Best to boot it long into the channels for forward runners like Gyasi Zardes than to try and play out of the back.
Stop The Breakaway, No Matter What
It’s imperative the USA don’t allow Argentina to counter on them with speed. Even if it means picking up cards – yellow or red – the Argentine runners have to be stopped well before they ever get near the US penalty area.
Attack Their Defenders
The Argentine backline is their Achilles’ heel. Gabriel Mercado on the right and Marcos Rojo on the left can be exposed with speed and central defenders Nicolas Otamendi and Ramiro Funes Mori are strong and rugged, but they're prone to mistakes and wild tackles. If the US can put them under some pressure, they will eventually buckle.
Shoot On Goal
Goalkeeper Sergio Romero is no Tim Howard. When the USA get in range, they need to test him and avoid getting caught up in finding that final pass around the Argentine goal.
Pressure Mascherano
All three midfielders can and do handle the ball, but play goes through the FC Barcelona man more often than the line-mates at either side of him. It's important for the US forwards to be mindful and make life difficult for the 32-year-old, who's a step slower compared to his glory days and will operate in the center of the field.
Box Messi
Obviously. As former US national team assistant and current New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch points out, the USA frustrated Messi once before by getting numbers around him and restricting the space he has to operate. He won’t restrict himself to any one area of the field, which means it’s going to take a complete US team effort.
