The U.S. and Ecuador kick off the quarterfinals of the Copa America on Thursday in a hotly anticipated matchup.

Two teams that get in at the last moment

The Americans looked sure to finish second in their group despite defeating Paraguay 1-0 in their final group match. Yet a loss by Colombia altered the entire makeup of the group, pushing the U.S. to the top spot and setting up a matchup on Thursday instead of Friday.

The U.S. has improved as this tournament has gone on, looking lost against Colombia in the opener before quelling an early Costa Rican storm and winning 4-0. The Paraguay win was also another character win with the team holding on despite falling to 10-men early in the game.

Ecuador meanwhile managed to clinch a spot in the second round thanks to a huge 4-0 win over Haiti on its final game day. The team just needed to win by more than one goal in that final game and achieved the goal in the opening 20 minutes.

Player to Watch

Clint Dempsey has been the top player for the Americans and yet the game could depend on Michael Bradley. The captain has been atrocious on the big stage, the second straight major tournament in which he has not been at the level required. If he continues slumping in the midfield, the U.S. will struggle to contain a speedy Ecuadorian attack. John Brooks has been great thus far and will need a similar top effort to stop arguably the quickest attack the Americans have faced so far.

The U.S. Wins if...

It controls the ball, stays disciplined and slows Ecuador's quick attack. The wing play will be so crucial with the Valencias and the ever difficult Jefferson Montero leading the charge. The U.S. needs to neutralize these players if it has any hopes of a semifinals spot.

Ecuador wins if...

It continues dominating the wings. The U.S.'s weak spots have been DeAndre Yedlin and Fabian Johnson throughout this tournament and Ecuador's best threats have come from Enner Valencia and Montero along the flanks. If they exploit these weaknesses, Ecuador should win.

History says...

That Ecuador holds a slight edge, winning five, losing three and drawing three against the Americans. However, the U.S. has had the better of the play in recent years, winning 1-0 in the most recent friendly last March and winning three of the last five games since 2002.

Prediction

Ecuador wins 2-1.

Start Time

The game kicks off at 9:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday June 16. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and Univision. Those looking for streaming options can obtain them with a FUboTV subscription.

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