After John Brooks made a brilliant defensive play in the opening stanza to deny Paraguay a clear cut shot at goal, the USA settled into the match and began to take control. Near the half-hour mark, Gyasi Zardes fed Dempsey for what proved to be the game winner.
In the second half the U.S. team pulled together to record its second consecutive clean sheet in tournament play after Yedlin was ejected two minutes after the break for two bookable offenses in less than two minutes.
The USA (2-1-0, 6pts) is now guaranteed of advancing to the knockout stage and temporarily moves atop Group A based on goal differential. The U.S. would retain that position should Colombia (2-0-0, 6pts) lose to Costa Rica (0-1-1, 1pt) by five or fewer goals in the day’s late game. Paraguay (0-2-1, 1pt) drops to the bottom of the group standings pending the result of the Colombia-Costa Rica match.
