The United States Men's National Team will look to clinch a berth in the second round of the Copa America 2016 when it faces Paraguay on Friday in the final group game.

Both teams have a chance to advance to the knockout rounds in this game.

U.S.A. looks to build on blowout win over Costa Rica

The Americans entered their Tuesday matchup with Costa Rica on an all-time low after a 2-0 loss to Colombia in the opener. The Americans were poor in that game, looking overwhelmed without the ball and failing to muster much when they were given opportunities.

That changed dramatically on Tuesday. The Americans did not see much of the ball at the start of the game but they took advantage of every counter attack given to them, scoring twice against the run of play and once off a penalty. The hero on the night was Clint Dempsey, who could have been a hero against Colombia if he had not missed big chances or been shut down on others.

But on Tuesday he converted the opening penalty and then created the second and third goals, utilizing his full bag of tricks. Bobby Wood, Graham Zusi and Jermaine Jones were the other heroes on the night, scoring the other tallies for the Americans.

Paraguay needs to put together a complete performance

Paraguay meanwhile continues to stumble, conceding two early goals against Colombia in the second game of the group stage. The team eventually put on a solid performance in the second half, which showed just how dangerous and perseverant this could be. However, Paraguay has had two red cards in two straight games, which could be a cause for concern in the final group stage.

How they can advance

With one point, Paraguay can still qualify for the next round but it must defeat the United States in the final game and hope that Colombia takes care of Costa Rica either with a win or a draw. A Costa Rica win coupled with a Paraguay win could still put the Albiroja through, but it needs to maintain its goal differential higher than Costa Rica.

A win or draw by the United States would signal a second round berth for the Stars and Stripes.

Player to Watch

Clint Dempsey has been the United States' best player through two games and was particularly potent in the win over Costa Rica. He will look to continue orchestrating the attack and will succeed if given the space the Ticos failed to contain.

History is Dead Even

These teams have met six times with each side managing two wins apiece and two draws. Paraguay has gotten the better of the Americans in recent matchups, winning 3-1 in the 2007 Copa America and claiming a 1-0 win in an international friendly in 2011. Of course the United States side has improved dramatically since then.

Prediction

The U.S. finishes off the group stage in style, winning another convincing performance by the score of 2-0.

Schedule and Streaming Info

The game kicks off at 7 p.m. on Saturday night and can be viewed on Fox Sports 2 and Univision. Those with a fuboTV subscription can watch the game from their mobile devices and computers.


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