The United States end the Copa America Centenario in fourth place after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia on Saturday at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The Yanks were able to create multiple chances on the offensive end and they were also able to have more time on the ball. However, their execution in the final third did not match the effort that the players displayed in the desert.
Without further ado let's take a look at the USMNT player's performance in the third place match
The US defense puts in a solid performance
Tim Howard - 7
The veteran goalkeeper came in the game and was able to come up with two big saves. He also did a good job coming out and challenging for crosses or on the few 1v1 opportunities that Los Cafeteros created. The Colorado Rapids keeper cannot be blamed for Colombia's goal in the first half.
That being said, there were a few times that Howard was caught in "no man's" land due to bad positioning. In the 61st minute, the crossbar bailed him out when Colombia's Juan Cuadrado chipped the ball over Howard. Cuadrado's finesse shot seemed destined to enter the back of the net, but the ball dinged off the woodwork and Howard was saved.
DeAndre Yedlin - 7
The 22-year-old right-back put in another solid performance defensively. Los Cafeteros were not able to break through on his side. On the offensive end, he was busy making runs and did complete a few good crosses.
Geoff Cameron - 8
Once again the Stoke City man put in a solid performance in the back. He also made key runs with the ball in the attack to jump-start the US offense.
Matt Besler - 8
He and Cameron helped shut down the middle of the defense. He also did a good job covering Michael Orozco's side.
Michael Orozco - 3
The 30-year-old defender was constantly being beaten on his side of the pitch. Every attack of Los Cafeteros came from his part of the field. To his part, Orozco kept hustling and doing his best to slow down Cuadrado and James Rodriguez for the majority of the match.
However, his foolish red card in the 89th minute cost his team a man advantage near the ending of the match.
Massive midfield improvement
Gyasi Zardes - 7
This was the Los Angeles Galaxy's man best match of the tournament. His runs caused the Colombian defense headaches. Plus he was able to complete crucial and dangerous passes in and around the penalty box.
Michael Bradley - 6
The captain was enjoying a solid game until he got hurt in the late stages of the first half. Bradley became nonexistent for the rest of the game. It was no surprise that he did not play the full 90 minutes. The only surprise was that Bradley had to wait until the 79th minute to leave the game.
Jermaine Jones - 8
Once again, the veteran was the heart and soul of the American midfield. He ran tirelessly up and down the pitch. He was forced to adjust his role when Bradley left the match; he had to become the number "6." He made some key tackles to prevent Los Cafeteros from scoring their second goal.
Alejandro Bedoya - 6
This was not Bedoya's best match when it comes to his offensive contribution. The reason for that is because he was forced to come back and help Orozco. Bedoya seemed to be in a constant battle with Cuadrado for his 74-minute shift.
A lot of effort from the forwards, but end product
Bobby Wood - 6
Ran like a madman and created chances from nothing. He had a shot ding off the post in the match. However, in the later stages of the second half, he made a decision that came back to haunt the United States.
He received the ball at the top of the box and had a defender in between him and the goal. To his left, Zardes was completing a run deep into the danger area. All Wood had to do was lay off the ball to a wide open Zardes and the Galaxy striker would have had a clean close range shot ahead of him.
However, instead Wood decided to take on the defender in front of him and went for the glory. The play resulted with Los Cafeteros clearing the ball out of the box.
Clint Dempsey - 8
The veteran striker was active on the attack, tallying up five shots in the match. However, only one of them was on target, his free kick in the 51st minute. His well-struck shot forced Colombia's keeper David Ospina to make a world class save to deny Dempsey.
The Texas native's set piece attempt was also the US' first shot on target in the match. The Americans ended the game with just two of their 11 chances being on target, plus both of them were from set pieces.
Subs not given enough time
Christian Pulisic - 7
The 17-year-old came in for Bedoya in the 74th minute and got involved right away. Pulisic also showed that he is not afraid to make an important tackle.
Darlington Nagbe - 7
The Portland Timbers' playmaker was given only 11 minutes to shake up the game after replacing Bradley in the 79th minute. Nagbe was able to do that, as the offense's pace and effort picked when he entered the match. Plus he was able to register the other shot that was on target.
However, like Pulisic, Nagbe was not given enough time to really make a difference in the match. If the 25-year-old and the 17-year-old might have entered the game sooner or started who knows if the outcome might have been different.
Decisions that do not pay off for the manager
Jurgen Klinsmann (4): There are four areas that highlight the flaws of Klinsmann's decision-making. The first is, why not take a risk and start Nagbe and even Pulisic in this match? One can make the argument that Pulisic might still be too green for the international stage, but it does not hurt for Klinsmann to see how they can handle it.
Nagbe is a pure playmaker and that is something that the USMNT have been lacking for some time now. Klinsmann calls him in to the national team but for some reason never lets him have a chance in matches that matter.
At halftime, the match was screaming for a player like Nagbe to enter and shake up the midfield. The Yanks were able to have more time on the ball but nothing really came from it. If Nagbe was in the match earlier then who knows what might have happened with their time on the ball.
The next two issues for Klinsmann are wrapped into one. First off is wondering why a player that barely performs for his club team is on the national team. Orozco has been given multiple chances from Klinsmann to make an impact on the national team and each time he disappoints.
In this match, he not only was the weak link in the defense, but he lost his head late in the game as well. This is not the first time that Orozco has done something like this for the national team on the big stage.
In the 2008 Summer Olympic Games Orozco was shown a red card in the third minute of the US' last group stage match against Nigeria.
The Yanks entered that match just needing a draw to advance to the next round. However, after his red card the Nigerians were able to take advantage of being a man up and won the match 2-1.
However, it is not Orozco's fault that he gets multiple opportunities with the national team. That road points back to Klinsmann's selection of the roster. Not just with Orozco but also with the lack of firepower on this roster. That is most likely why he did not make his final substitution against Los Cafeteros.
Who does he turn to on the bench when the national team needs a goal after Nagbe and Pulisic? Graham Zusi is a good option but he chose not to use him. Then there is Chris Wondolowski, but the San Jose Earthquakes striker has shown that his Major League Soccer form does not translate to the international level. He has proven that many times in the past.
However, beyond Zusi and Wondolowski everyone else on the bench is defensive minded. Klinsmann's roster selection for this tournament ended up harming him down the stretch when injuries and suspensions began to pile up.
Now Klinsmann and the rest of the USMNT will have to concentrate on qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. CONCACAF World Cup Qualifications will continue again on September the second when the Yanks head to the Caribbean to face St. Vincent and the Grenadines.