There’s a long way to go and improvement to make, but the United States men began their 2024 Copa America with a promising start as they defeated Bolivia 2-0 in their Group C opener in Arlington on Sunday.
Christian Pulisic got it off with a bang as he scored a thumping goal just three minutes in, and it seemed like the U.S. would be flying off to dreamland from there against an inferior opponent. That runaway scoreline never quite materialized as they smothered Bolivia and created copious chances, but remained a bit sloppy in midfield and failed to finish off opportunities.
They’d finally double the lead moments before halftime as Folarin Balogun found the window for a low left-footed cut shot, a big goal to make the finish to the match far more comfortable.
The U.S. were by far the best side throughout the entirety of the match, limiting Bolivia to essentially nothing in front of Matt Turner’s goal. Yet they failed to find any more goals despite creating multiple second-half chances to score a third, with Ricardo Pepi coming off the bench to see a trio of efforts saved by Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra.
Overall, it’s a very positive performance from most USMNT players who saw the field, but it’s maybe not quite the thumping fans wanted to begin the Copa America. Both Balogun and Pepi were wasteful with big chances, and Chris Richards was sloppy in building out of the back. Still, the likes of Gio Reyna and Tim Weah were excellent in the buildup, and Pulisic played superstar yet again as the U.S. will be happy to collect the three points and move on to face more dangerous opponents.
The Sporting News followed USA vs. Bolivia live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happened.
MORE: Schedule, results for 2024 Copa America | USA vs. Bolivia predictions and picks
USA vs. Bolivia final score
| Score | Goal scorers | |
| USA | 2 | Pulisic (3′), Balogun (44′) |
| Bolivia | 0 | — |
Venue: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Starting lineups:
USA (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Turner (GK) — Scally, 3. Richards, 13. Ream, 5. A. Robinson — 7. Reyna (Cardoso, 65′), 4. Adams (Musah, 46′), 8. McKennie (de la Torre, 78′) — 21. Weah (Aaronson, 86′), 20. Balogun (Pepi, 65′), 10. Pulisic.
Bolivia (5-4-1, right to left): 23. Viscarra (GK) — 17. Fernandez (Vaca, 76′), 2. Je. Sagredo, 3. Medina (Cuellar, 46′), 4. Haquin, 21. Jo. Sagredo — 20. Saucedo, 15. Villamil, 6. Justiniano (Ramallo, 46′) — 19. Miranda, 9. Menacho (Terceros, 46′).
MORE: How World Cup ’94 changed the U.S. soccer landscape forever
USA vs. Bolivia live updates, highlights from Copa America 2024
FULLTIME: USA 2-0 Bolivia
It’s not really the overwhelming scoreline the U.S. might have come into this match looking for, but they can be proud of the performance that led to three points in Group C play. In these major tournaments, it doesn’t matter how you win, it just matters that you DO win.
Even with that said, the U.S. showed out quite well, completely dominating the match from the opening whistle to the final kick. They put a lid on Bolivia the entire way through, and while they will have to finish their chances much more ruthlessly moving forward against stronger opposition, they did more than enough to grab three points in what was overall a very positive performance.
2:23 – Christian Pulisic’s goal after 2 minutes, 23 seconds is the fastest the #USMNT has ever scored against a CONMBEOL opponent in a competitive match (34th match). Tone. pic.twitter.com/yWA1qmbdRS
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) June 23, 2024
90+2 min: Ricardo Pepi is walloped by Bolivian defender Jesus Sagredo, who is rightly booked by the referee for sending Pepi flying to the turf with a thumping tackle from behind.
90th min: Chance, USA! HOW ON EARTH HAS GUILLERMO VISCARRA KEPT THAT OUT?!?
Ricardo Pepi has two chances to score, first off a cross from the left and again on the rebound from Viscarra’s first save, but the U.S. striker somehow can’t bungle it over the line from point-blank range as the Bolivian goalkeeper makes a miraculous second stop from his backside!
Four minutes of added time are shown.
PEPI DENIED OH NO 😅
Guillermo Viscarra with an impressive save for Bolivia 🧤 pic.twitter.com/LFR9d7HKrV
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
86th min: Tim Weah is withdrawn as Brenden Aaronson comes on as the final USMNT substitution to close this one out.
81st min: Chance, USA! Ricardo Pepi is denied a third time by Gullermo Viscarra! This one is the best of the bunch, as Pepi went low to the goalkeeper’s left but saw his shot turned away by a diving Viscarra, what a stop!
79th min: Chance, USA! Ricardo Pepi crashes a shot into the palms of Guillermo Viscarra! A long ball played to Christian Pulisic comes to Pepi with a ton of space, and despite lots of time to pick out a shot, he blasts it with power straight at the Bolivian goalkeeper. That shot had the power but not the placement!
75th min: The United States are upset with the official as they are hoping to get the ball back in play but can’t because Bolivia defender Roberto Fernandez is down on the pitch and needs treatment. The South Americans will make a change, as Ramiro Vaca will enter to replace Fernandez.
Pulisic is frustrated by Bolivia’s time-wasting tactics and the referee’s allowance of the stop-start approach. Weston McKennie is withdrawn by Gregg Berhalter a few moments later, replaced by Luca de la Torre.
70th min: The U.S. have started pummeling the Bolivia back line again, as Joe Scally this time gets into the action down the right, but his cross for Christian Pulisic comes at an awkward angle and the captain’s volley attempt goes into the ground and then over the bar.
66th min: Chance, USA! Ricardo Pepi gets right into the action but puts his effort wide! A cross by Antonee Robinson whips in a cross from the left, evading the defender brilliantly and ending right at the feet of Pepi, who looked like he might have been surprised that the ball reached him. He leaps to get his body in the correct position but can’t keep it on target.
64th min: Bolivia have grown a bit into this match, mostly using their physicality to try and put the U.S. players off and keep the game from flowing, just like they did in the first half. Still, they’ve yet to create a single big goal-scoring chance.
Gregg Berhalter is readying subs as Johnny Cardoso and Ricardo Pepi will enter the match, replacing Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun. It’s a bit surprising that Weston McKennie is left on the field with a yellow card, but Reyna has been targeted by Bolivia’s fouling and is protected from any further pounding.
59th min: Chance, USA! Christian Pulisic cuts inside on his right yet again and forces a big save from Guillermo Viscarra! He rips it from nearly the same spot and forces Viscarra to awkwardly but expertly save it up near the underside of the crossbar! What a hit! Pulisic’s a man possessed today!
56th min: There’s concern for USMNT defender Tim Ream who is crouched down on a knee and has his fingers to his eyes, looking a bit dazed. Unclear what has him shaken, but the official has stopped play to get him back on his feet and ready to continue. Hope he’s ok.
53rd min: Chance, USA! Folarin Balogun has the ball in the back of the net, but the flag is up for offside! Tim Weah was, unfortunately, leaning just too far over the Bolivia back line when he receives the vertical ball from Weston McKennie and fed it across, and the decision is confirmed by VAR. Another beautiful move!
Just offiside 😬🤏
This would have been a beautiful goal by the USMNT 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/6NYIF0Zoyn
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
50th min: Chance, USA! Tim Weah’s fizzed cross along the face of goal is dragged just out of Folarin Balogun’s reach! It actually looks like Weah may have been shooting from an extremely tight angle, which is a poor decision as Balogun was wide open at the far post. Balogun is, understandably, upset at the missed opportunity.
49th min: Weston McKennie is booked for dragging down Roberto Fernandez, which is extremely harsh as he clearly gets a touch on the ball to dispossess Fernandez before the contact.
48th min: Christian Pulisic had acres of space to run onto as the U.S. move forward in transition, and he looks to create a carbon copy of his opening goal, but the right-footed blast from atop the penalty area is blocked well by the Bolivian defender following in front.
2nd half KICKOFF: The U.S. get the second half under way as they look to secure three points in their first Copa America group match. Both sides have made changes, as Yunus Musah comes on for the United States to replace Tyler Adams. Miguel Terceros, Hector Cuellar, and Rodrigo Ramallo all enter for Bolivia in a very aggressive triple change.
HALFTIME: The United States lead comfortably after the opening 45 minutes, with a deserved two-goal advantage on strikes from Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun. Many U.S. players performed very well that half, including the aforementioned two as well as Gio Reyna, Tim Weah, and Weston McKennie.
Bolivia have not remotely threatened Matt Turner’s goal, who could have had a picnic with his wife and kid in the penalty area without too much trouble. There’s still 45 minutes to come, and a two-goal lead is far from insurmountable, but the USMNT is, as it stands, set up for a comfortable start to the Copa America.
44th min: GOAL! USA! Folarin Balogun doubles the lead for the United States just before halftime! He’s been a menace all game but hasn’t quite had the proper touch once fed the service.
This time, he gets it from Christian Pulisic laterally and touches away from goal on his left. It appears his touch closes the shooting window, but instead he calculates the angle perfectly and buries it inside the far post with a perfectly placed finish!
BALLLLLOGUN!!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸
The @USMNT striker places it perfectly 👏✨ pic.twitter.com/W2uYYEjFkJ
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
40th min: Bolivian left-back Roberto Fernandez is down after taking a bump from behind by Weston McKennie. It’s the second time he’s been down for an extended period of time, but after getting to his feet, he appears to have just been milking it. The CONMEBOL side is doing its best to slow this game down and keep the U.S. from getting into an attacking rhythm.
36th min: Chance, USA! Tim Weah delivers a fantastic threaded cross to a streaking Folarin Balogun at the top of the six-yard box, but as he looks to redirect it on net, he’s sandwiched by two Bolivia defenders who manage to clear it at the last moment! Folarin Balogun’s off-ball movement has been exceptional, but he hasn’t yet been able to make his mark once he receives it from teammates.
31st min: Now Bolivia captain Luis Haquin is booked for another tackle on Gio Reyna, who is taking an absolute beating. Haquin is the third Bolivia player to see a yellow card this match so far.
The U.S. has regained complete control of the match as Tim Weah and Weston McKennie combine beautifully to progress the ball into a great shooting position, but by the time Folarin Balogun gains control of the ball near the penalty spot he’s closed down and the shot is blocked.
28th min: SCUFFLE! Gio Reyna is brought down by a scissor tackle from Leonel Justiniano who is immediately booked by the referee, but the yellow card isn’t nearly enough for the U.S. players who are incensed. The two sides come together angrily, but nothing more notable takes place.
In fairness, the replay shows that the tackle looked way worse live. Aside from the slight scissor motion, there’s no studs shown or additional physicality to warrant a red card. The USMNT players, who don’t have the luxury of seeing the replay, want Justiniano sent off. Gabriel Villamil of Bolivia is also shown a yellow card in the aftermath, possibly for his role in the scuffle.
25th min: The U.S. has had much less joy over the past 5-10 minutes, and Bolivia have looked to get forward via Route One. It’s not really worked to create attacking possession, but it has worked in stifling the U.S. attack. Gregg Berhalter screams for his team to push higher and regain their early aggression.
If this continues, the USMNT may rue not grabbing a second goal to gain a comfortable lead from their early spell of overwhelming pressure.
Holden is right on the US upping the pace here.
Seems intentional that they are working to get Reyna on the ball at the top of the attacking third left half space.
Likely seeing if this works for tougher opponents so that Joe Scailly doesn’t have to take pressure in buildup.
— Matthew Tomaszewicz (@shinguardian) June 23, 2024
20th min: Bolivia have managed to simmer this game down just a bit, but the U.S. are still well and truly in control of possession. The South American side has decided to run a whopping five players along the attacking line, attempting to bypass the midfield entirely and lump it forward for aerial duels up front.
It’s caused the U.S. to push its full-backs forward to try and take advantage of the space. We’ll see how this tactical battle goes the rest of the first half.
17th min: Oh my, that would have been sensational from Folarin Balogun had it found the net, but his rabona attempt is blasted miles over the crossbar. Give him credit, his movement has been exceptional off the ball, but that move to beat his defender and open up the space to shoot was really his first quality touch on the ball.
12th min: After conceding off a short corner, Bolivia mark Christian Pulisic as he sets up to deliver another set-piece chance. This time he delivers it long, right on a platter for Gio Reyna but the difficult near-post header is sent over the crossbar. He was challenged tight and ended up leaning back slightly to get contact on the ball.
8th min: Chance, USA! Tim Weah forces a save by Guillermo Viscarra from a tight angle on the right! He actually tried to find Folarin Balogun on the run with a lateral ball, but it’s blocked right back into the path of Weah so he has a rip which is on target, but Viscarra turns it away.
The United States are flying to start this match, and Bolivia are way back on their heels!
3rd min: GOAL! USA! A WONDERFUL STRIKE BY CHRISTIAN PULISIC! He deposits a curler into the top-right corner after being fed off a short corner! Bolivia defenders never step to Pulisic as he carries the ball in casually from the flag, and once he reaches the top-left corner of the penalty area, he decides to take advantage of the space and buries it!
CHRISTIAN 🚀 PULISIC 🚀
WHAT A FINISH!!!!!!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Np1QWGdRIM
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
1st min: Chance, USA! Folarin Balogun is fed in on goal by a wonderful lateral ball from Christian Pulisic, but a heavy first touch sees it squirt away from him and is cleared by the goalkeeper! If Balogun wishes to grab hold of this starting striker role more permanently, he’ll need to be scoring those chances!
A HUGE EARLY CHANCE FOR THE @USMNT 😱 pic.twitter.com/PcxVzhtV90
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
Kickoff: The United States have officially begun their 2024 Copa America journey as they’re under way in Dallas! Can Gregg Berhalter get the USMNT off to a hot start, or will they struggle against the lowest-ranked side CONMEBOL has to offer?
USA vs. Bolivia: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more
15 mins to kickoff: The opening whistle for the United States at the 2024 Copa America is just a short time away! The U.S. have faced Bolivia once before in the Copa America, winning 1-0 in 1995 on a goal by Marco Etcheverry.
Christian Pulisic told Jenny Taft of Fox Sports that the USMNT “family” has “a lot to prove.”
🇺🇸 @JennyTaft shares her conversation with Christian Pulisic ahead of the USMNT’s Copa América opener ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Ja5LwaVjFu
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
30 mins to kickoff: The current generation of USMNT players are used to setting youth records over the last few years, and they may do so again if they emerge victorious tonight. With an average age of 25 years, 338 days, this United States starting lineup could become the first team under 26 years old to win a Copa America game since 2011.
The @USMNT has arrived 🇺🇸📍 pic.twitter.com/Lh7HwkrxQ4
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
45 mins to kickoff: USMNT fans will be looking for a big, emphatic win against the lowest-ranked team in the 2024 Copa America today, but one player who will look to prevent that is Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra. The 31-year-old has taken over for longtime international veteran Carlos Lampe, who racked up 55 caps but is now 37 years old.
Viscarra has earned his place — playing for Bolivian side The Strongest, he has made the most saves of any goalkeeper in the 2024 Copa Libertadores group stage thus far. Who is second? His international teammate Lampe playing for domestic rivals Bolivar.
🧤🌟 ¡Los arqueros con más atajadas en la Fase de Grupos de la CONMEBOL #Libertadores!
🇧🇴🔝 ¿Los mejores? Guillermo Viscarra y Carlos Lampe, hoy con #Bolivia en la CONMEBOL @CopaAmerica.#GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/UBA4D8G4vA
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) June 21, 2024
1 hour to kickoff: The USMNT lineup is in, and there is one big surprise as Tyler Adams starts in midfield while Yunus Musah is left on the bench. Adams has seen his minutes heavily limited in the run-up to this tournament amidst a host of fitness concerns, so it’s surprising to see him start in the opening Copa America match while Musah, a fixture of this midfield, is left out.
1 hour 15 mins to kickoff: There has been a lot of noise in recent weeks around the club situation of U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie, who is currently contracted to Juventus after a revival season in Italy. McKennie was a fixture in Turin this past year, providing consistent service to forward Dusan Vlahovic and other Juventus attackers.
Yet according to reports, he was involved in a potential swap deal with Premier League club Aston Villa as Juventus targeted Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz. According to the reports, McKennie’s wage demands of €5.5 million were too much for Villa, and he was not ultimately included in the deal.
He’s also been linked with MLS side FC Cincinnati, but that has not materialized as it would be odd for a top USMNT international playing at a big club to make such a move in his prime.
🚨 Juventus agree deal with Aston Villa to sign Douglas Luiz for €50m. #Juve pair Samuel Iling-Junior & Enzo Barrenechea moving opposite way for €22m in separate transaction – expected to do medicals next week + join #AVFC on 5yr contracts @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/QJ0BthHwiv
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 22, 2024
1 hour 30 mins to kickoff: A few of the Copa America venues have generated significant criticism for the condition of their playing surface, but the pitch in Arlington does not seem to be garnering the same kind of conversation.
Chris Richards said his impression of the AT&T Stadium pitch is that it “looks pretty good” and it “doesn’t have any holes in it,” while Gregg Berhalter said “we were pleasantly surprised with the playing surface” and that it’s “much better” than when they played here for a Nations League game back in March.
Peru head coach Jorge Fossati, however, was not as impressed, suggesting the injury to Luis Advincula was possibly down to the pitch. Atlanta and Houston faced similar criticism from the likes of Argentina and Mexico.
The #usmnt conducts its own onsite field inspection. Chris Richards gave the field a positive review during Saturday’s press conference. pic.twitter.com/CT9vjdaUy1
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) June 23, 2024
1 hour 45 mins to kickoff: Gregg Berhalter has seemingly had the support of the U.S. Soccer federation for his long-term project, but the seat has gotten warmer over the last few months. What the USMNT head coach desperately needs is what many are referring to as a “signature win” which he lacks across his national team tenure.
The Sporting News wrote about where Berhalter stands at the helm of the USMNT and how the potential outcomes at this Copa America could paint him amongst the greater U.S. Soccer narrative barreling towards the 2026 World Cup.
CLICK HERE to read the story on where Berhalter stands as USMNT head coach
Berhalter wouldn’t be drawn on what success for the #USMNT looks like at the Copa America.
“I know I sound like a broken record but we have to take it one game at a time. We know how difficult group stages are, you can’t take any game for granted.”
— Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) June 23, 2024
2 hours before kickoff: Today’s the day for USA, as the host nation get their Copa America 2024 campaign underway. It’s time to get serious for Gregg Berhalter and the U.S. players who continue to build towards the 2026 World Cup.
Smiles today, business on Sunday. 😄 pic.twitter.com/iC5lT5MS83
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) June 21, 2024
USA vs. Bolivia kickoff time
This 2024 Copa America match kicks off from The AT&T Stadium on Sunday, June 23 2024 at 5:00 p.m. local time (CDT) in Arlington, Texas, USA.
Here’s how that time translates across all of the time zones in North America:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sun, June 23 | 6:00 p.m |
| Central Time | Sun, June 23 | 5:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sun, June 23 | 4:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sun, June 23 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Alaska ST | Sun, June 23 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Hawaii ST | Sun, June 23 | 12:00 p.m. |
Copa America 2024 Group C standings
| Pos. | Team | GP | W-D-L | Goals | Goals against | Points |
| 1. | Uruguay | 1 | 1-0-0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 2. | USA | 1 | 1-0-0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3. | Bolivia | 1 | 0-0-1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4. | Panama | 1 | 0-0-1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
USA vs. Bolivia lineups, team news, starting 11
Berhalter will likely run out a starting lineup very similar to the one that played against Brazil in the final Copa America tune-up friendly.
There were questions coming into the summer about how the U.S. would replace injured right-back Sergino Dest, but Joe Scally won the job with a pair of brilliant performances in the warm-up matches vs. Colombia and Brazil. It’s expected that Folarin Balogun will start up front despite his slow start to life with the U.S.
Josh Sargent made the USMNT Copa America roster despite foot concerns which kept him out of both pre-tournament friendlies, but it’s unclear if he has recovered in time to play a role in the opening game. Tyler Adams was only rated for a substitute role against Brazil but surprisingly starts over Yunus Musah in midfield.
USA starting XI (4-3-3): Turner (GK) — Scally, Richards, Ream, A. Robinson — Reyna, Adams, McKennie — Weah, Balogun, Pulisic.
USA substitutes (15): Horvath (GK), S. Johnson (GK), Carter-Vickers, McKenzie, M. Robinson, Lund, Moore, de la Torre, Cardoso, Musah, M. Tillman, Aaronson, Wright, Pepi, Sargent.
Bolivia have seen a switch at goalkeeper in recent months as 31-year-old Guillermo Viscarra has won the regular starting job over 37-year-old veteran Carlos Lampe and his 55 international caps.
The back line is anchored by Bolivar veteran Jose Sagredo, while his twin brother and club teammate Jesus Sagredo has also seen recent national team time. While Bolivia have many veterans in the squad, the anchor of the next generation is playmaker Ramiro Vaca who has 34 caps at 24 years old, having scored international four goals so far.
Bolivia starting XI (5-3-2): Viscarra (GK) — Fernandez, Je. Sagredo, Medina, Haquin, Jo. Sagredo — Saucedo, Villamil, Justiniano — Miranda, Menacho.
Bolivia substitutes (15): Lampe (GK), Almada (GK), Jusino, Terceros, Cuellar, Vaca, Algaranaz, Chavez, Tome, Cespedes, Ramallo, Cuellar, Suarez, Rocha, Terrazas.
USA vs. Bolivia live stream, TV channel
- TV channel (US): Fox, Univision, TUDN
- Streaming (US): Fubo, Univision Now, TUDN app/website, ViX
- TV channel (Canada): TSN 4
- Streaming (Canada): TSN+, RDS app (French)
USA: USA vs Bolivia from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington will be televised in the United States on Fox with a Spanish-language broadcast via Univision and TUDN. These channels are available to stream on Fubo with the latter offering a FREE seven-day trial. ViX is also providing Spanish language coverage.
Canada: This match will be shown on TSN and its respective live streaming options, while RDS provides French language coverage.
If this Copa America match is not available to watch live in your location, or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
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