The United States secured a confident 2-0 victory over Bolivia in their Group C opener at the Copa America on Sunday, with team captain Christian Pulisic highlighting the significance of the win. The tournament hosts thrived off the enthusiastic home crowd in Arlington, Texas.
Pulisic opened the scoring with a stunning curling shot into the top corner in the third minute and later assisted Folarin Balogun for a second goal in the 44th minute. Although the team missed several scoring opportunities in the second half, Pulisic, affectionately known as “Captain America,” emphasized the importance of the win and the support they received at the AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
“We should build some confidence from this and feel good, but the games are just going to get tougher and tougher as the tournament goes on, so we’ve got to be ready,” said the AC Milan midfielder in a televised interview.
This victory provided the momentum the 11th-ranked U.S. team needed as they aim to make a significant impact in South America’s premier national team tournament, following their success in reaching the knockout stages of the most recent World Cup.
The United States will face 43rd-ranked Panama on Thursday in Atlanta, before their final group stage match against 14th-ranked Uruguay on July 1 in Kansas City.
“Getting off to a win to start with – massive for us,” stated defender Antonee Robinson. “Build the confidence, show we’re here to win, here to play, and it puts us in good stead for the next game.”
