USA vs. Colombia, 2016 Copa America Centenario: Live coverage and score updates

There are plenty of examples of athletes getting hurt by doing basic things, such as celebrating, but faking an injury and then actually getting hurt ... that’s especially unfortunate. Losing Rodriguez could be a big blow for Colombia.

A brutal first half for the United States saw them fall 2-0 to Colombia in the opening match of the Copa America Centenario. An early goal off a corner and a penalty late in the first half sent the USMNT scrambling, and now Jurgen Klinsmann and company will be desperate for a win in their next match, while Colombia are riding high on a wave of confidence after their much more assured performance in victory.

Things started off well for the United States, holding up about as well as could be expected against the lightning-quick Colombia attack. Their opponents were able to get into the final third with relative ease, but the way the USMNT set themselves up defensively allowed them to channel the attacks into less-dangerous areas while preventing supporting runs from being easy to pick out.

The ball certainly hit Yedlin’s hand, but not all handballs are created equal. Yedlin will argue that his arm wasn’t in an unnatural position and wasn’t playing the ball, so a penalty shouldn’t have been given. It’s a very tough 50-50 call for the ref to make. This penalty put Colombia up 2-0 on the USMNT.

The USMNT had looked solid up until this point, but this is some very poor set piece defending, and an awful goal to give up so early. This put Colombia up 1-0.

The lineups are out for the Copa America opener, and there aren’t many surprises for either team. Many United States men’s national team fans will be happy to see that Michael Bradley is being played as a deep-lying playmaker behind two runners, while the back line and forward line are as expected. Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic have been great as impact subs, but they’ll stay in that role and haven’t won places in the starting XI.

Colombia have switched up their formation multiple times in the last few months, but they’ve picked a team that’s built around James Rodriguez. Their superstar will play in a No. 10 role, behind Carlos Bacca and in front of a pair of more defensive midfielders, with wingers on either side of him.

The Copa América Centenario is upon us! As per tradition, the tournament hosts get things underway on Friday, with the United States taking on Colombia at Levi’s Stadium in California. The visitors certainly look the stronger of the two teams on paper, though home field advantage should guarantee that this game is a close-run thing. Jürgen Klinsmann will certainly want to build some momentum, and there is no finer way to settle the nerves by picking up three points from the first match.

If they’re to have any success at this tournament, the United States will be banking on their youngsters stepping up. Though they still have a smattering of experience, in striker Clint Dempsey and midfielder Michael Bradley, Klinsmann’s selection is more notable for its youth. Playing a major tournament on home soil is a heavy burden, and the coach clearly believes they can step up to the mark.

The USMNT plays their Copa America opener on Friday, and one of the biggest questions Jurgen Klinsmann has to answer is what the roles of Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic should be.

Look, both Nagbe and Pulisic are very talented players, and they both belong in the squad for this tournament. They both have a big role to play, that’s not in question. But that role is not in the starting lineup.

On Friday, June 3, one of the best international soccer tournaments ever conceived gets underway. The United States takes on Colombia in the opening match of the Copa América Centenario, a twist on South America’s continental championship. All 10 members of South America’s soccer confederation are traveling to the USA to play in a tournament where they’ll meet the host country, Mexico, and four others from Central America and the Caribbean.

It’s going to be a blast. For the totally uninitiated, here’s what you need to know about the tournament.