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Copa America live updates: Messi proves he’s the best in the world and Argentina routs U.S.

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The U.S. men’s national team had an opportunity to show the world how much it has improved with its Tuesday night’s game against heavily favored Argentina in the semifinals of the Copa America.

The answer was they haven’t improved as much as they had hoped. Re-live this benchmark game in U.S. soccer as Argentina proved why it is the best team in the world. See what our experts, both in Houston and elsewhere, had to say about Argentina’s 4-0 win. A symbolic victory for the U.S. to get to the semifinals? You decide.

Argentina and Messi on another level compared with U.S.

Juergen Klinsmann’s aim from his first day as coach of the national soccer team was to prove the U.S. could compete with the best in the world.

On Tuesday he learned that goal is still a few years away, with Argentina dominating the U.S., 4-0, in a Copa America Centenario semifinal played before a sellout crowd of 70,858 at NRG Stadium.

But then few measure up to Argentina, the world’s top-ranked team, or its star striker, Lionel Messi, the world’s best player. Both were as good as advertised Tuesday.

At times Argentina looked as if it were playing a different sport – faster, more creative and more dynamic than the one the Americans were playing. Argentina had a 2-to-1 edge in possession, made twice as many passes and didn’t allow the U.S. a shot – much less a shot on goal.

And Messi was at the center of most of it, assisting on the first goal and the last goals, scoring the second and inspiring a crazed fan in an Argentine jersey to dash onto to the field before the start of the second half, wrapping the unresponsive player in a hug before prostrating himself at Messi’s feet.

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A silver lining in the inevitable U.S. loss to Argentina

This game is a great example of why the Copa America is a better long-term tournament for the U.S. and Mexico than the Gold Cup: It is a better measure of where the teams stand in the world.

The Gold Cup is set up for the U.S. and Mexico to make the final and regularly win the title. But it provides none of the reality check of playing top teams in the world in a non-World Cup year.

The U.S. program would be better off losing to the top team in the world in the semifinals than going back to a competition that has little resemblance to the best tournaments in the world.

The U.S. is being outclassed by Argentina, just as Mexico was by Chile. But better to know that now, when there are two years to try to improve.

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Fourth goal too easy for Argentina

4-0. The U.S. can’t get the ball moved out of the center of the park, and Argentina makes them pay again. Three of the four goals were the direct result of the U.S. being caught in possession deep in their defensive end.

Argentina came in with a plan to press the U.S. and executed it brilliantly. This result is a combination of Argentina playing well and executing a game plan and the U.S. playing tentative soccer with no relief from the pressure.

Sometimes the No. 1 team shows up and plays well and there is nothing to be done about it.

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Complete dominance by Argentina

Seventy minutes played and the U.S. does not have a shot.

Argentina is known for its offensive firepower, but it is having a very good defensive tournament.

At this point, Argentina has scored 17 goals in the Copa America and surrendered just two.

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Lavezzi injures himself as he falls over side barrier

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Argentina toying with U.S., goes up 3-0 early in second half

John Brooks got caught looking for an offsides call and Higuain makes the U.S. pay. Brad Guzan made a save on the initial shot, but with Brooks rooted to his spot, Higuain corralled the rebound and easily put the ball in the back of the net for an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

It’s hard to say a game is over with this much time to play, but the U.S. absolutely had to score the next goal. The Americans have shown no sign they can fight back into this match.

The U.S. and CONCACAF rivals Mexico are down a collective 10-0 against the two 2015 Copa America, finalists Argentina and Chile. And it could still get worse.

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Is there even a road back for the U.S.? Not likely

The best thing about the first half for the U.S. is it’s over. A 2-0 deficit doesn’t begin to accurately describe the dominance of Argentina over the first 45 minutes. The most disastrous thing possible for the U.S. was surrendering an early goal, and they never really recovered from going down 1-0 only three minutes in.

The road back is an unlikely one, but it starts with possession and pressing. Down 2-0, the U.S. can’t afford to sit back and must make Argentina surrender the ball. And once they have it they have to do more with it. Dempsey’s few touches were deep in the U.S. side. They have to get him the ball high in the attacking half, and he has to keep possession long enough for the attack to catch up to him.

The U.S. also must make use of the players available on the bench. Needing two goals they need more attacking options, and fresh legs after a long half of chasing the ball. Bringing on Nagbe and Besler, moving Fabian Johnson forward and putting Zardes up top would give the U.S. more speed and firepower. It may not be enough, but better to crash out 3-0 or 4-0 trying to score than continue to chase the ball and finishing with a similar loss.

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This about sums it up for the U.S. in the first half

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The U.S. shouldn’t be playing this poorly

The first half showed one of two things: The U.S. still has a really long way to go to compete with the soccer elite, or Argentina is the best team in the world right now. It’s probably both, frankly.

The pressure put on by Argentina’s midfield has been too much for the U.S. It reminds you of the bad old days in the ‘90s when the U.S. had trouble keeping possession against teams.

Yes, the U.S. is missing some players. Yes, Lionel Messi is one of the best of all-time. But there is no reason for the U.S. to look this rattled, especially with a team of veteran players.

With the limited scoring chances in the first half, you’d hope Klinsmann decided to get his young kids some experience. Bring on Nagbe and Pulisic and see what they can do. It can’t be worse than this.

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So why did Klinsmann start Wondo?

The U.S. paid a steep price for a bad sequence. Argentina continued to press and Chris Wondolowski gave the ball away deep in his own end, forcing him to take a foul on Messi and a yellow card.

Messi built the moment up by slowly tying his shoes, then burying a world-class free kick in the side netting of the right upper 90. The combination of pace and placement made it nearly impossible to save.

Wondo did the right thing by bringing Messi down when he was charging toward the goal. But it shows the problem of dealing with Messi - you pick your poison and he can still make you pay.

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For those that haven’t seen it, here is Kobe Bryant’s Copa America intro video

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Amazing Messi goal sends Twitter into a frenzy

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Argentina seems poised to score a second goal vs. U.S.

This performance can’t please Juergen Klinsmann. For the duration of the first 25 minutes of the match, his men have looked timid and haven’t been able to create any scoring chances.

There have been giveaways in the midfield, with the main culprit being Michael Bradley, who has had a propensity for committing bad passes that end up going the other way.

It seems like a matter of time before Argentina gets their second goal. Meanwhile, the U.S. main weapon, Clint Dempsey has barely had a touch.

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Argentina’s pressure is too much for U.S. early

The U.S. is not dealing well with the press. Argentina is pressuring the ball as soon as they lose it, even deep in the U.S. end.

The Americans are not moving the ball quickly enough to keep any meaningful possession, either getting caught in possession and dispossessed, or playing deep, speculative passes that do not connect.

Any path back into this match will have to include dealing better with ball pressure, and maintaining some possession to slow the Argentines’ attack.

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Guzan keeps Messi from scoring Argentina’s second goal

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Argentina showing its class early vs. U.S.

The first 10 minutes could not have started off worse for the U.S.

Argentina has been able to slice the U.S. defense with ease, and the first goal came off a beautiful pass from Lionel Messi.

Argentina’s class has been on display early, and the U.S. looks ill-prepared for this onslaught.

The U.S. has shown signs of life after the goal, with Gyasi Zdares showing energy flying down the right-hand side. We’ll see if the U.S. will be able to continue to gain some confidence and keep it close.

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Argentina jumps on U.S. in the third minute

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The view from the press box at Copa America in Houston

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Some shockers in Juergen Klinsmann’s starting lineup

Juergen Klinsmann has decided to go with some veteran names in his starting 11 to replace the players that were suspended for the semifinal matchup with Argentina.

The back line will welcome the return of Deandre Yedlin, who was suspended for the Ecuador quarterfinal match. Geoff Cameron and John Brooks will anchor the center of defense with Fabian Johnson on the right.

The midfield will add Kyle Beckerman and Graham Zusi to replace Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya.

Some eyebrows are surely raised with the inclusion of Chris Wondolowski up front with Clint Dempsey. Wondolowski has been a prolific scorer in the MLS and has shown a deft scoring touch against the minnows of CONCACAF, but he has had limited success in bigger matches. Wondolowski famously missed a clear chance at a goal that would have given the U.S. a win versus Belgium.

— Angel Rodriguez

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Argentina will not be as forgiving in front of goal as previous U.S. rivals

One key for the USMNT against Argentina will be cutting down the number of shots surrendered.

In wins over Ecuador and Paraguay, the U.S. gave up a combined 37 shots. While the centerbacks did at times close down shooters quickly in those matches, the lack of goals by Ecuador and Paraguay had as much to do with poor finishing as the U.S. defense.

Argentina scored seven goals on 25 shots in its wins over Bolivia and Venezuela. It is more than just Lionel Messi, fielding a team that is deep in players who can finish. Nine different players have scored in Argentina’s four matches in Copa America 2016, the most by any team.

If the U.S. has any hope of pulling of an upset, the wings will have to track back deep into the defensive half, and the defenders will have to have the patience to concede possession rather than risk conceding dangerous positions.

Messi will relentlessly seek space between the defense and midfield lines and attempt to draw the defense to him to create space behind for the forwards to play into. The U.S. must resist running to the ball and hold shape. It is a strategy that will test the collective nerves of the U.S. team and fan base, but one that could limit Argentina’s shots.

In the 2015 Copa America final, Chile frustrated Argentina with a combination of organized defensive play and outstanding goaltending. If the U.S. can keep a clean sheet until halftime, it can at least make the Argentineans feel the pressure of the moment. After all, Argentina is expected to win. Add some timely saves from Brad Guzan, who will undoubtedly be tested, and the U.S. could have at least half a chance.

— Michael Whitley

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Indication of things to come in U.S. vs. Argentina match?

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U.S. isn’t intimidated by Argentina

Juergen Klinsmann knows whom his U.S. national team will be playing against Tuesday in its Copa America Centenario semifinal. And late Sunday he found out whom he’ll be playing with as well.

Argentina looms as the next hurdle for the United States, an obstacle that will be more difficult to clear now that the team is without midfielder Jermaine Jones and forward Bobby Wood. Both players had their appeals of suspensions earned in last Thursday’s quarterfinal denied Sunday.

That’s not exactly the best way to go into a knockout-round game against the world’s top-ranked team, one that has shredded the competition in this tournament. But Klinsmann remains confident.

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Klinsmann works to convince U.S. that Messi is beatable

Matt Besler has spent the last couple of days studying film of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, searching for flaws and weaknesses, only to come to a frightful conclusion: There aren’t any.

And that could be a huge problem for the United States, which faces Messi and Argentina, the world’s top-ranked team, in a Copa America Centenario semifinal Tuesday before a sellout crowd of approximately 70,000 at NRG Stadium (6 p.m., FSI, Univision, UDN).

“I don’t think there’s a comparison to that guy. You say you want to get pressure on Messi and not let him have time on the ball, but how do you do that?” Besler asked rhetorically before training Monday. “Even when guys step up to him and are right on him, he finds ways to wiggle out.”

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