US reach Copa America semis with 2-1 win over Ecuador

Reuters: The United States survived a late onslaught to beat Ecuador 2-1 and advance to the semi-finals of the Copa America for the first time since 1995 after a pulsating and sometime fractious match in Seattle on Thursday.

Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes scored for the U.S. either side of half time and Michael Arroyo got one back for Ecuador in a game that saw one player from each side sent off and the Ecuador coach banished to the stands.

Ecuador came into the game more after Antonio Valencia and Jermaine Jones were shown red cards in the 51st minute but the hosts prevailed to set up a semi-final against either Argentina or Venezuela in Houston next Tuesday.

“We’ve come so far now and now we get even hungrier for the next step,” said U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

“The team performance was outstanding. They were helping each other all over the field.”

The South Americans threw everything at the hosts in the final quarter but they could not find a second goal and the U.S. advanced to the last four.