GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Jurgen Klinsmann thinks a fourth-place finish in the Copa America was a step in the right direction. U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati will speak to his coach and assess.
After opening with a 2-0 loss to third-ranked Colombia, the No. 31 United States beat Costa Rica, Paraguay and 13th-ranked Ecuador to advance to a semifinal against No. 1 Argentina. Lionel Messi and his teammates routed the U.S. 4-0, and the Americans closed with a 1-0 loss to Colombia in Saturday’s third-place game.
“It’s a tough tournament,” Gulati said. “We didn’t lose to anybody in the tournament that’s ranked outside the top five in the world, but we need to win some of those games, obviously.”
The U.S. has qualified for seven straight World Cups and beat Guatemala in a key home game in March to put itself in place to advance to the final round of qualifying for the 2018 tournament. Yet, ever since last year’s surprise loss to Jamaica in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Klinsmann’s results have been questioned by some.
“I’ve never said he wasn’t on solid ground or was on solid ground or anything else,” Gulati said. “A lot of stuff gets written. As we do in every tournament – I’ve said this a thousand times – next we’ll sit down and talk to Jurgen, talk internally and assess everything.”