USMNT Eliminated from Copa América 2024 After Another Underwhelming Performance

The U.S. men’s national team was eliminated from the Copa América after a 1-0 loss to Uruguay at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Mathías Olivera scored the decisive goal in the 66th minute following a lengthy VAR check for offside. Despite protests from the U.S., the goal was upheld.

Even if the U.S. had won, Panama’s simultaneous 3-1 victory over Bolivia meant that the U.S. needed a win to advance. The U.S. had lost 2-1 to Panama in their previous match, leaving them needing to match or better Panama’s result against Bolivia.

Injuries and suspensions also hampered the U.S. Tim Weah was suspended due to a red card from the Panama game, and striker Folarin Balogun was injured in the first half against Uruguay. Ricardo Pepi replaced Balogun, and Uruguay’s Maximiliano Araújo was also injured.

Referee Kevin Ortega made several controversial calls against the U.S., including a confusing moment where he seemed to issue a yellow card but allowed play to continue, and a handball call that negated a U.S. advantage.

Uruguay applied pressure in the second half, leading to Olivera’s goal. The U.S. struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, ultimately finishing third in the group with three points. This elimination marks the first time the U.S. has failed to advance past the group stage in a senior men’s tournament they hosted.

The U.S. started the tournament strong with a 2-0 win over Bolivia but faltered against Panama and Uruguay. The U.S. faced a challenging task, needing a win and help from other results to advance, but ultimately could not overcome the odds. This Copa América exit is a significant setback as the U.S. prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup.

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