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There was a point, after the USMNT had been destroyed by Brazil, lost to Mexico, drew Trinidad and Tobago and lost against Guatemala, that Jurgen Klinsmann's job seemed very much on the line.
The dizzying heights of the 2014 World Cup seemed an eternity ago. The constant cut-and-paste approach that Klinsmann seemed to take resembled a six-year-old playing FIFA. The USMNT was at its lowest point in years.
An opening match loss against Colombia didn't help matters either. Photo: @DeportiveCentro | Twitter
Even Sulil Gulati, US Soccer Federation president and Klinsmann's perennial cheerleader, implied that the German-American was under some scrutiny after their loss against Colombia in the Copa America Centenario, as reported by The Washington Post.
"Results are what matter and everyone understands that. Results of the last months overall haven't been what we would have hoped for, especially in the official competitions," said Gulati. "So, we will wait and see how the next two games and hopefully some additional games after that before we assess where things are again."
Gulati is still keeping his cards close to his chest with those comments, but the implication is clear: Jurgen Klinsmann is being watched . . . closely.
Luckily for Jurgen, since the loss, the USMNT beat both Costa Rica and Paraguay and topped Group A, thanks to a spirited upset by Costa Rica over Colombia. Klinsmann has stuck with his formation, and trusted in the players who have performed for him. The "tinkerman" reputation that he has built in the past year has thankfully been left in ditch for the Copa America Centenario.
Spirits are high for the first time in a long time. There is a healthy mix of youth and experience in this squad, with plenty of "Plan B" options to pull from on the bench. The way the team plays is more coherent and purposeful than it has ever been. But it won't count for much if the U.S. can't beat Ecuador tomorrow in the quarter-finals.
If the U.S. were to lose tomorrow, then it becomes increasingly hard to see exactly how this team has progressed under Klinsmann. Ecuador are a good team, make no mistake about it, and they will make life difficult for the USMNT, but this is a team that the U.S. really should be beating if they are to be classed at an elite level.
This is a definite must-win for the USMNT, not only because it grants them passage to the semi-finals, but because it will go a long way towards vindicating Klinsmann's master plan. A Copa America semi-final appearance is the minimum expectation, and anything less will be a damning indictment of Klinsmann's reign.
Spirited determination and promise are not enough for a country trying to climb to the top of the football pyramid, and if Jurgen fails to guide the USMNT through to the semi-finals, he'll find that out the hard way.
Follow me on Twitter @J_Hansen_89
