Why RSL's Kyle Beckerman may be the USA's most important player in Copa America semi


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COPA AMERICA — The United States men’s national team is going to the Copa America semifinals in Houston, its furthest finish in the intercontinental tournament since 1995.

And when it suits up against (most likely) Argentina, Real Salt Lake defensive midfielder Kyle Beckerman could be the most important player wearing red, white and blue.

Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes each scored a goal in either half en route to the 2-1 win over Ecuador, but Beckerman’s substitution may have helped the USA calm down and see out the result as much as anything else. The 34-year-old stalwart Salt Lake captain has played just 30 minutes in the tournament, primarily serving as a backup to midfielder Jermaine Jones — including the final 15 minutes of Thursday’s quarterfinal, after Jones was issued a red card.

Dempsey, the team's leading scorer, is important to the United States success. As is goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who has flown into the starting role in his first major international tournament since being promoted following the brief sabbatical of previous starter Tim Howard. Central defender John Brooks is also having a breakout tournament for the United States.

But Beckerman's role is different, and it would be a modified version of defensive midfield than what Jones has brought to the team as the primary starter there.

U.S. Soccer announced Friday that it was appealing the cards and subsequent suspension to Jones, citing what press officer Michael Kammarman said was a "misinterpretation of Law 12, which was amended June 1 and states that contact to the face or head shall not warrant a red card if the force was negligible."

Without a reversal of the decision via appeal, Beckerman is the odds-on favorite to start in the USA’s next match Tuesday, when it will face the winner of Saturday’s match between Argentina and upstart Venezuela. He has just one shots and three key passes in his limited tournament entry, but he is one of just two American players with previous Copa America — he traveled to Copa America 2007 when the United States was invited as a guest nation.

Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press
Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press

Jones won’t be the only player missing for the United States, either; forward Bobby Wood will miss Tuesday’s semifinals for yellow card accumulation, as will midfielder Alejandro Bedoya. The Yanks will get back DeAndre Yedlin, who was suspended Thursday — but Beckerman’s spot in the Starting XI seems a strong possibility, regardless.

Wood's card is also in appeal by U.S. Soccer, though his case seems more difficult to determine if it will be overturned.

U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann was not happy with the officiating with regards to Jones' dismissal after the match.

"Unfortunately we lost Jermaine for that incident which is an absolute joke, because I was right there and the fourth official made that decision, not the referee," Klinsmann said in the post-match press conference. "The referee didn't see it. He followed the advice of the fourth official out there and it's a disgrace, a decision like that."

The loss of Jones is significant; the midfielder who plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer assisted on the United States' first goal in Thursday's semifinal, and his pressure and bite in the midfield has been noted by many as a sparkplug to the Yanks' high-pressure attack of the past three games.

But that's not to say that Beckerman doesn't bring his own expertise to the game, as well. Long regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in MLS — and the U.S. player pool — Beckerman is in the midst of an international renaissance after missing significant time with the U.S. senior team following his youth international career that included the stop in Venezuela for Copa America 2007.

That defense will be tested significantly against Argentina (again, assuming the Argentines dispatch La Vinotinto).

Even as the host nation recoiled in turmoil on the outside following the loss to Colombia, the players inside the U.S. locker room remained calm. They rallied together, earning a critical three points with a 4-0 trouncing of Costa Rica, then defeated Paraguay 1-0 to earn back-to-back shutouts and the top spot in its group after Los Ticos stunned Colombia in their final match of the tournament.

In short, they never doubted, U.S. defender Geoff Cameron told FS1 during the post-game broadcast.

“We’ve known from the get-go. We knew it was going to be tough against Colombia,” Cameron said. “But saying that, we won our second game, third game and now we’re on to the semifinals. The guys in the locker room are all sacrificing for one another, leaving it all on the pitch, and we’ve done that so far.

“You saw the success.”

Well done, boys. #USAvECU#CopaAmericapic.twitter.com/UxLC9ObqhT — Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 17, 2016

Now, the Americans will face the toughest match of the tournament. Among the favorites to win it all, Argentina outscored its group opponents 10-1 in rolling past Chile, Panama and Bolivia. Unless Venezuela pulls off the biggest stunner of the tournament, four-time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will lead the Albiceleste into the next week’s semifinals. The 29-year-old Messi co-leads the tournament with three goals, having done so in just 72 minutes — scoring at a rate of a goal every 24 minutes.

Beckerman’s defensive prowess in the midfield means he will likely draw the assignment of defending — or at least attempting to slow down — the world’s best player.

The United States’ biggest Copa America match in two decades will almost assuredly feature Real Salt Lake’s leader. How will he fare in next week’s semifinals?

Soccer fans in Salt Lake City will be eager to find out. And the summer of soccer continues to impress.

For the full Copa America schedule, click here.

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