USA 2-0 Bolivia | Tactical Review

As Vin Diesel will tell you it doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile, and last night it didn’t matter if the US beat Bolivia 2-0 or 5-0. Three points is three points. I think you can sense a but coming…

While there is a lot to be happy about in the USA’s Copa America opener, there is a lot the team needs to improve on if we will go far in this tournament. The good news is this was an excellent foundational game to build into the rest of the group stage, and the bad news is this is by far the weakest opponent we’ll play all tournament.

Dominating possession and creating numerous chances, the U.S. limited Bolivia to almost no real threats, securing a vital 2-0 win. All of that positivity was amplified by how well the team played on a performance basis. By all supporting metrics - possession, xg, big changes for and against the USA cruised past Bolivia, but the conversation now is shifting to “why not more?”

Is it more important to get three points or to play well? I would argue the USMNT did both on Sunday night. But I also understand the match should have ended 4 or 5-0. Ricardo Pepi alone on his chances could have had a brace in his limited minutes. I can already see the online discourse marking this as an “uninspiring performance” but I vehemently disagree.

I had a lot of fun watching the game, and absent of any social media interaction during the match, I thought we played extremely well.

Yes Chris Richards and Tim Ream need to clean up their passing, yes Ricardo Pepi needs to be more clinical, yes we can argue Gio Reyna should be higher up the field but… Three points to start a tournament against a CONMEBOL squad in a comfortable match that let us find our feet going forward. That’s what I saw.

With a win against Panama in their next match, the U.S. can secure their spot in the knockout stages. Still, they must be mindful that the slim margin of their first victory might become significant, considering goal differential is the first tie-breaker in the group stage. Despite this, the team remains focused on securing wins rather than fixating on the scoreline.

The game began perfectly for the U.S., with Christian Pulisic curling a shot from the top of the box into the far corner within the first three minutes. Just before halftime, Folarin Balogun doubled the lead, giving the U.S. a comfortable cushion.

Throughout the second half, the U.S. continued to find space and create chances against a Bolivia team desperately trying to get back into the game. Pulisic forced a save from Guillermo Viscarra in the 60th minute, and Ricardo Pepi registered six shots, despite coming on in the 65th minute—setting a record for a USMNT substitute since Opta began detailed data collection in 2010.

Berhalter acknowledged the narrative that the team could have scored more but remained satisfied with the result. “We created enough chances, and we denied them enough. We’re happy with the result. We move on.”

Pepi, playing in front of a hometown crowd as a former FC Dallas youth player, showed his potential despite not finding the net. He has been effective as a supersub, scoring all seven of his goals for PSV Eindhoven off the bench last season and contributing five goals in his previous nine appearances for the U.S. as a substitute.

Despite missing several opportunities, Pepi’s performance was commendable. In the 90th minute, he nearly scored, but Viscarra denied him twice in quick succession. After the game, Weah encouraged Pepi to stay focused and keep his head up.

Berhalter also supported Pepi, highlighting his impact on the game. “To have that many goal-scoring opportunities in such a short period, to be relentless with his running, pressing, and hold-up play, he had an excellent game. We’re confident that the finishing will come.”

In the other match of Group C, Uruguay defeated Panama 3-1, putting them level with the U.S. on points and goal differential but ahead on goals scored. The U.S. will face CONCACAF rivals Panama next, in Atlanta on Thursday.