Christian Pulisic said he could not accept the performance of referee Kevin Ortega after the United States crashed out of the Copa America on Monday.

Having been beaten 2-1 by Panama in their second Group C match, the USA knew only a victory would do against Uruguay on matchday three.

However, they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Arrowhead Stadium, with Mathias Olivera netting a second-half winner that was allowed to stand despite replays appearing to show he may have been offside in the build-up.

It is the first time the USA have gone out in the Copa America's group stage since 2007, having previously made it further when invited to take part in 1995 and 2016.

Referee Ortega was seen refusing a handshake from Pulisic at full-time, and while the USA captain would not blame the official for his team's exit, he was infuriated by his performance.

"Honestly, I saw things that I've never seen before right in front of my eyes today, things that truly I can't believe," Pulisic said at a post-match press conference. 

"It's not why we lost; we're not out of this tournament because of officiating. But I've just seen things where I don't know what I'm looking at. 

"I don't know what they're calling. I don't know what he's… he gives no explanation. He's doing things that I just can't accept. He wouldn't shake my hand. It's normal, I guess."

While the USA's home campaign is over almost as quickly as it began, Uruguay will now face the runners-up from Group D – likely Colombia or Brazil – in the last eight.

On the opposite side of the knockout bracket to favourites Argentina, they are considered contenders to go all the way, but assistant Pablo Quiroga – who was on the sideline as Marcelo Bielsa served a one-match ban – feels they have work to do.

"I think at the beginning of the game we were not intense enough in the initial press," he said. "From there they were able to get the first pass with some comfort, and that prevented us from recovering the ball as we normally do. 

"When we fixed that, in the course of the game, the process went more towards what we wanted. The team did not lose its form against an opponent that has very good players and a lot of class."

Tyler Adams says the confidence has returned to the United States' camp in the wake of their shock defeat to Panama.

The USA lost 2-1 in Atlanta on Thursday, with Panama taking advantage after Timothy Weah was sent off early on.

That defeat leaves the Copa America hosts in a perilous position in Group C. They are ahead of Panama on goal difference, but the Stars and Stripes must play in-form Uruguay in their last match, while Panama face Bolivia, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.

But in spite of the pressure on Gregg Berhalter's team ahead of Monday's encounter with Marcelo Bielsa's side, Adams says there is a positive mood in the camp.

"We're all confident again, you know, when we have 11 players on the field that we can go toe to toe with anybody," Adams told reporters.

"The training was good today. I think we saw the intensity. And we're going to need that from the first minute against Uruguay."

Antonee Robinson is well aware of the stakes.

"It's definitely going to come down to a massive effort from the team," he said.

"I mean, if we're looking at realistically, there's a chance that this is our last game in the tournament, so there's no reason to hold anything back. We're all going to have to give everything in this game."

Uruguay hammered Bolivia 5-0 in their last outing, with Bielsa's team highly likely to top the group, albeit that could result in a last-16 meeting with Brazil, who are second in Group D.

Darwin Nunez is the focal point of Uruguay's attack under Bielsa, though the former Leeds United coach is not concerned with the forward's sometimes-erratic finishing.

"All players who are consistent goal scorers know how to finish," Bielsa said.

"But then they are also human and so they will have times where that capacity will be more evident and other times when it is less evident.

"Darwin is a player who does not need much support. The only thing that concerns me is whether he gets in positions, which he does extraordinarily well, to score, impact games, finish the moves, or choose where to place the shot."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

United States - Folarin Balogun 

Former Arsenal attacker Balogun scored a stunner against Panama, and also went close to a sensational second.

With his back-up, Ricardo Pepi, underperforming his 2.27 expected goals (xG), the pressure is on Balogun to lead the USA's line. He is doing an admirable job so far, with two goals in as many matches, so do not be shocked to see him keep up that form.

Uruguay - Darwin Nunez

Nunez has scored in his first two Copa America matches.

Only four Uruguay players have scored in their first three matches in the competition: Pedro Petrone (1923), Mario Bergara (1959), Vladas Douskas (1959), and Jorge Oyarbide (1967).

MATCH PREDICTION: URUGUAY WIN

The USA might need the points, but the Opta supercomputer is backing Uruguay.

Uruguay have not started with three victories in a row since 1959, when they defeated Ecuador (4-0), Brazil (3-0) and Argentina (5-0).

These teams will face each other in the Copa America for the first time since 1993, when Uruguay won 1-0. 

La Celeste have won four of their last five matches against CONCACAF opponents in the competition (1L), and kept a clean sheet in three of those five games.

Uruguay's two victories against the USA were in the only two non-friendly matches they have played (3-0 at the Paris Olympics in 1924 and 1-0 in the 1993 Copa America).

In fact, Uruguay are the only CONMEBOL team that have not been able to beat the United States while playing in North America.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

USA - 21.6%

Uruguay - 56.1%

Draw - 22.3%

The United States' home Copa America campaign was not supposed to come down to this.

Monday's Group C finale against Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay was expected to be a straightforward battle for top spot, with Panama and Bolivia, ranked 43rd and 84th in the world respectively, deemed unlikely to offer much of a threat.

However, a stunning capitulation saw Gregg Berhalter's side beaten 2-1 by Panama on Thursday, the hosts ceding control after Timothy Weah's early red card.

That result has had a seismic impact on their hopes of progressing, potentially leaving them requiring a win against one of the continent's finest next week.

The story of the USA's campaign to date has been one of unfulfilled potential, a lack of decisiveness in attack and a struggle to change things on the fly. It is a tale that might sound familiar to England supporters, who are watching the Three Lions rather limp through to the Euro 2024 knockouts.

Quarter-final hopes in the balance

Before a ball was kicked at this year's tournament, the Opta supercomputer gave the USA a 64.5% chance of reaching the last eight.

After Thursday's result, they are assigned a 51% probability of advancing, as anything less than a victory over Uruguay – who will not rest on their laurels as they bid to clinch top spot – will leave them needing a favour from Bolivia in their match with Panama.

Though the USA could still top the group with a win, third (49%) is now viewed as their most likely final position, which would represent a monumental failure at a tournament viewed as a dress rehearsal for a home World Cup in 2026.

But where has it all gone wrong?

USA follow England's lead 

The USA were clearly superior in their opening 2-0 win over Bolivia, firing off 20 shots worth 2.51 expected goals (xG) and recording 35 touches in the area to their opponents' one.

While Weah's early red card – the result of a petulant push to the back of Panama player Amir Murillo's head – put them in a difficult position in Thursday's second match, that incident did not necessarily have to precipitate such a dire collapse.

Indeed, four minutes after Weah's exit, their frustration turned to elation as Folarin Balogun fired a brilliant left-footed finish in off the woodwork from the edge of the area. 

But much like England in their first two games at Euro 2024, the USA ceded control after assuming the lead, which was wiped out within four minutes by Cesar Blackman.

Home fans would surely have expected Panama to enjoy more of the ball while a man up, but the sheer extent to which they dominated was alarming.

Panama finished the match with a 74% possession share, the highest figure any CONCACAF team has managed in a Copa America match on record (since 2011), and the eighth-highest overall.

From the 19th minute onwards, the USA completed just three passes into the Panama penalty area, recording a dismal 59.4% passing accuracy throughout the match – comfortably the worst figure at the tournament so far.

Though they won plaudits for their dynamic approach at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Berhalter's side can look uncomfortable when tasked with exercising control, and that was certainly the case on Thursday.

They managed only six shots in total, as Panama set a new national record for the lowest amount of attempts faced in a Copa America match. Their previous low was 12 shots, against Bolivia and Argentina in 2016.

Two of the four defeats that the United States have suffered as hosts in major tournaments have come against Panama.

The coach's changes – particularly the decision to sacrifice Giovanni Reyna for an additional defender in Cameron Carter-Vickers – did nothing to stem the tide. 

By the time he changed tack by bringing on Josh Sargent for Tim Ream in the 86th minute, it was too late, with Jose Fajardo's close-range finish proving decisive. 

Pepi's profligacy and Balogun's talents wasted

While the USA spent long periods sitting off Panama when down a man, they still had one huge chance to restore their advantage at 1-1, but substitute Ricardo Pepi saw his header kept out by Orlando Mosquera. 

Pepi has only played 43 minutes off the bench at this year's Copa, yet his cumulative xG figure of 2.27 is the highest of any player at the tournament. 

The five players directly below the goalless Pepi in the xG charts – Kendry Paez, Lautaro Martinez, Darwin Nunez, Solomon Rondon and Facundo Pellistri – have all netted at least once.

While the PSV striker could be forgiven for his wastefulness in the Bolivia match, when USA had already seized control before his second-half introduction, his form is starting to become a major worry.

The fact Pepi was introduced in place of goalscorer Balogun in Atlanta has brought further scrutiny upon Berhalter.

The Monaco forward is one of just four men to net more than once at this year's Copa America, and only the second USA player to score in successive Copa matches, after Clint Dempsey netted in three straight at the 2016 tournament. 

Both of Balogun's goals have been pinpoint finishes from the left side of the penalty area, coming despite his xG total for the tournament standing at just 0.34. For context, that is a lower figure than that recorded by Harry Kane through England's first two matches at Euro 2024 (0.48), and the Three Lions' struggles in the chance-creation department have been well documented. 

Convincing Balogun to switch allegiance from England in 2023 was considered a major coup for the USA, with his decision coming at the end of a season in which he plundered 22 goals while on loan at Reims from Arsenal.

At present, however, they are wasting their star striker, who has registered just eight touches in the penalty area at this tournament, having averaged 7.97 per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 last term.

Berhalter will hope Uruguay's expansive approach gives Balogun space to attack on matchday three, but without any level of control or the ability to play through the thirds, the striker will always be peripheral.   

Similar failings have not yet cost England at Euro 2024, a set of lacklustre opponents and the 24-team format ensuring a group-stage exit was never really on the cards.

With one of South America's form teams next up and no second chances for third-place finishers, the same may not be true for the USA.

Gregg Berhalter hit out at a "silly" mistake from Timothy Weah after his red card in a 2-1 defeat to Panama put the United States' place in the Copa America at risk.

Having opened their home campaign with a 2-0 win over Bolivia, the USA slipped to a surprise defeat in their second match in Atlanta, leaving them likely needing a result against Uruguay on matchday three to progress.

The tournament hosts played over 70 minutes with 10 men after Weah lashed out at Amir Murillo, and they were unable to force a late equaliser after Adalberto Carrasquilla also saw red for Panama.

After the game, Berhalter said Weah's actions were costly but also suggested Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton was always poised to make a big decision.

"We talked beforehand about the tendencies of this referee, we knew what he's capable of and to be honest I think we played right into his hands," Berhalter said. 

"We made that decision pretty easy. Tim got bumped, he got checked and he reacted.

!He apologised to the group and he understands what a difficult position he put the group in.

"Nonetheless, it happened and as a result we lost this game and we're going to have to move on and figure out how to win the next game.

"The guys dug in and we were close to coming out with a point. But it's a shame, because there was more in this game, and a silly decision by Timmy leaves us short-handed."

Forward Christian Pulisic echoed his coach's sentiments, saying: "Timmy knows the mistake he made. 

"That's it. He's going to learn from it. It sucks. It's not the way you want to put your team in that position. 

"It hurts. Just the minimum, it's a lapse of judgement. It's just one simple second, you respond to something."

The United States were defeated 2-1 by Panama in a thrilling Copa America encounter on Thursday.

A frantic opening paved the way for an exhilarating, blood and thunder match in which both teams had a player sent off.

The first 26 minutes in Atlanta saw the USA have a goal disallowed, Timothy Weah sent off and Folarin Balogun score a stunner before Cesar Blackman equalised.

With the match seemingly ebbing towards a draw, Ricardo Pepi's profligacy sparked a frenetic finale, with Jose Fajardo netting in the 83rd minute and Panama holding firm despite Adalberto Carrasquilla's red card.

Victory takes Panama level on three points with the Copa America hosts, who are in a precarious position ahead of facing Uruguay in their final Group C match.

A rowdy crowd was almost silenced inside the first two minutes when Yoel Barcenas' stunning bicycle kick flashed over the crossbar, but the home fans were soon celebrating when Weston McKennie slammed in, only for the goal to be disallowed after a lengthy VAR review for Tim Ream straying offside. 

There was further VAR frustration to come for the USA, as they were reduced to 10 men when Weah saw a yellow card upgraded to a straight red after he lashed out at Amir Murillo.

That frustration turned to elation in the 22nd minute as Balogun brilliantly fired in from the edge of the box, his left-footed strike cannoning in off the inside of the right-hand upright.

It was a lead that lasted only four minutes – Blackman drilling into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards out to restore parity.

VAR came to the USA's rescue just after the hour when referee Ivan Barton overturned his decision to award Panama a penalty after Cameron Carter-Vickers lunged in on Fajardo.

Balogun went close to a sensational second soon after, but the best chance of the second half fell to his replacement Pepi, whose close-range header was kept out by Orlando Mosquera.

Pepi was immediately made to pay, with Fajardo making no mistake as he lashed home from close range, and even though Carrasquilla saw red, Panama sealed a memorable victory that throws Group C wide open.

Pepi pays the price

Pepi has had to settle for a substitute role with Balogun the first choice, but that has not stopped him having chances. In fact, he has accumulated more expected goals (2.27) than any other player in the tournament so far.

Yet the youngster, who has played just 43 minutes, has failed to convert any of his seven shots, while the other four players in the top five for xG at this edition of the Copa have all scored at least once.

McKennie did brilliantly to tee Pepi up for the USA's big moment in the second half, but PSV striker fluffed his lines.

In contrast, Balogun showed just how good he can be – his goal, his second of the tournament, came from a shot with an xG value of just 0.04. The Stars and Stripes might well need their first-choice forward to deliver that kind of quality again if they are to progress.

Panama worthy winners

Panama came out on top on penalties against the USA in the Gold Cup last year, but Thomas Christiansen's team were well worth their victory in regulation time on this occasion.

The USA did continue their run of scoring at least one goal when facing Panama – they have now done that in 19 of the last 20 meetings – but despite the hosts having a higher xG (1.11 to 0.76), Panama had the cutting edge when it mattered.

They had to play dirty at times, committing 19 fouls to the USA's four, and Gregg Berhalter may well point to that, but mastering the dark arts has given Panama, who face Bolivia next, a great chance of getting out of the group.

United States goalkeeper Matt Turner has urged fans of the Copa America hosts not to forget the value of results ahead of Thursday's clash with Panama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The USA got their Group C campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over Bolivia, with Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun on target.

Some believed Gregg Berhalter's side should have recorded a more comprehensive victory as they racked up 20 shots on goal to Bolivia's six.

Nottingham Forest shot-stopper Turner, though, says tournament wins should not be taken for granted.

"We'll never have that luxury. I think you take wins when you can get wins, no matter the context," Turner said.

"You take the result, especially in tournament play, it's the end all be all. I implore people to not lose sight of that.

"Obviously, we wish we did some things better, but that's what tournaments are about. You want to improve and get better throughout the tournament and keep growing as a team, and a bond and a culture.

"At the end of the day, we got a clean sheet, we scored two goals and we won. Going into this next match, we know we might have to be a little bit better if we want to win."

Panama, meanwhile, were beaten 3-1 by Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay in their opening match, with Amir Murrillo netting a late consolation after Maximiliano Araujo, Darwin Nunez and Matias Vina scored for the 15-time winners.

"I think we had too much respect for Uruguay, in the first half there were too many mistakes," head coach Thomas Christiansen said.

"They're a great team that you have to respect, but I think in moments we were afraid of making a mistake.

"In the second half, we showed this team is alive with enthusiasm and desire. Now it's time to make another big effort against the United States before ending with Bolivia."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Panama – Amir Murillo

Murillo netted a late consolation against Uruguay, also recording the most touches (62) and joint-most touches in the penalty area (four, also Jose Fajardo) of any Panama player in their opening match.

That game saw Panama surpass 250 completed passes in a Copa America game for the first time. They will not be pushovers in Atlanta, but if they are to really trouble the hosts, they need wing-back Murillo to contribute in the attacking third.

United States – Christian Pulisic

Pulisic provided a goal and an assist as the USA beat Bolivia in their Group C opener, becoming the first American to score and assist in a single Copa America match since Clint Dempsey did so twice in 2016, versus Ecuador and Costa Rica.

Pulisic averages 0.93 goal contributions per 90 minutes in competitive matches for his country, the highest rate in their history (minimum 1,500 minutes played).

The Milan winger also recorded the most line-breaking passes in the attacking third of any player during Group C's first set of games, with four.  

Until the USA's first match, only Rodrigo De Paul of Argentina had reached that figure in the tournament's opening round of fixtures.

MATCH PREDICTION: UNITED STATES WIN

After beating Bolivia, the USA could start a Copa America tournament with back-to-back victories for the very first time. 

Only once before have they managed successive wins in the competition, winning three games in a row up to the quarter-finals in 2016, as they finished fourth on home soil.

They have never lost or even conceded a goal to CONMEBOL opponents at the Copa America, drawing 0-0 with Mexico in the 1995 quarter-finals before triumphing on penalties, and routing Costa Rica 4-0 in the group stage in 2016.

The USA have only failed to score in one of their previous 19 matches against Panama on home soil, in a goalless draw in New Jersey in the 2005 Gold Cup final, which they won via spot-kicks. 

With home advantage on their side, we expect more joy for the USA on Thursday.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Panama – 22.6%

United States – 54.7%

Draw – 22.7%

Christian Pulisic felt the United States made a flying start to the Copa America with their impressive victory over Bolivia in Texas.

Milan star Pulisic stole the show with an eye-catching strike into the top corner, and he added an assist for Folarin Balogun as the USA opened their campaign with a 2-0 win on home soil on Sunday.

Pulisic became only the second USA player after Clint Dempsey to register a goal and an assist in a Copa America match, while he is also now the country's quickest player to reach 30 goals, doing so in his 69th game.

An inspired performance from the captain also ended a woeful run for the USA against CONMEBOL sides at this tournament, given Gregg Berhalter's side had previously lost eight of 10 such games.

Pulisic felt that USA could easily have won by a greater margin, with the strong performance making a statement ahead of their next group games against Panama and Uruguay.

"We should build some confidence from this and feel good," Pulisic said after the game.

"We came out flying with a lot of intensity and obviously that early goal helped us a lot.

"It's Copa America, it's a big tournament. I feel like I'm always pretty excited after I score, but it's a big moment, it's a major tournament.

"All around, it was a pretty dominant performance. I think we could have put it away and had more goals there.

"The games are just going to get tougher and tougher as the tournament goes on, so we have got to be ready." 

Defender Antonee Robinson also felt USA could easily have won by more.

"If we were being picky, we could have been a lot more clinical," the Fulham player said. "We could have put another two or three goals away, but getting off to a win to start with is massive for us.

"Build the confidence, show we are here to win, here to play and it puts us in good stead for the next game."

USA head coach Berhalter was delighted with the impact made by Pulisic, whose opening strike had an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.037.

The tournament hosts racked up 20 shots, finding the target with eight, compared to tallies of six and three respectively for Bolivia.

As part of an all-action display, Pulisic created three chances, sent in 10 crosses and superbly completed 21 of the game-high 22 passes he attempted in the final third.

"He is a selfless leader," said Berhalter. "He goes out and competes and works really hard. That helps the team.

"Then you add to the fact that he is highly skilled and can make plays on the offensive end and create chances. It is a great combination, and what you see is him supporting his teammates, him backing guys, him pushing guys. 

"To me, it was an outstanding performance. He got coach's man of the match and it was much deserved.

"We will always look at chance creation as a marker of performance, and I think we created enough chances. 

"I like the performance for an opening game against a difficult opponent. We are in a good position."

Bolivia, meanwhile, have now lost their last four international outings by a concerning margin of 9-1, having suffered defeats against Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and USA.

They face Uruguay, who won their opener 3-1 against Panama, on Thursday.

USA will play Panama earlier on the same day before concluding their Group C campaign against Uruguay on July 1.

Christian Pulisic stole the show with an eye-catching strike and another assist as the United States opened their Copa America campaign with a 2-0 triumph over Bolivia on Sunday.

Gregg Berhalter's side never appeared troubled in a routine victory at AT&T Stadium in Texas, thanks to the solo endeavours of captain Pulisic in their Group C opener.

The Milan forward needed just three minutes to curl in a sublime opener before teeing up Folarin Balogun – who another strike ruled out after the interval – just moments before the break in a one-sided first half.

Bolivia rarely seemed likely to forge a comeback as the USA managed a winning start to a Copa campaign for the first time since the 1995 edition when they defeated Chile 2-1 in Uruguay.

Antonio Carlos Zago's side did not heed an early warning when goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra was forced to rush out and clear in front of Balogun.

Bolivia were caught napping just minutes later as Timothy Weah worked a short corner with Pulisic, who coasted inside before curling into the top-right corner from an acute angle on the left-hand side of the area.

Weah – son of legendary forward George – was denied from point-blank range as the USA almost doubled their lead immediately.

Yet Berhalter's host nation would soon add to their advantage in Arlington.

Pulisic was afforded the freedom of midfield yet again, dropping into space before offloading for Balogun to cannon a left-footed drive into the bottom-right corner.

That smart 44th-minute finish marked Balogun's first-ever goal at this tournament and the Monaco striker found the back of the net for a second time after the interval, only for his celebrations to be cut short.

His routine tap-in from inside the six-yard area was ruled out for offside as Weah had rushed forward to capitalise on Weston McKennie's pass before sliding across for his attacking partner.

Viscarra was equal to Pulisic's effort before the hour as the forward attempt to recreate his early heroics, while substitute Ricardo Pepi prodded wide from Antonee Robinson's pinpoint left-wing delivery.

Pepi was denied by fine Viscarra reflexes late on as the USA coasted to an opening victory before their next meeting with Panama on Thursday, a day before Bolivia face Uruguay.

Pulisic stars in rare USA win

Pulisic was tipped by many as the USA player to keep an eye on at the Copa America, and the Milan man delivered in emphatic fashion in this opener.

Fresh off the back of scoring 15 goals across all competitions for the Serie A giants, Pulisic's opening strike had an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.037 – yet that was no problem for the USA captain.

His headline-worthy effort halted a woeful run for the USA against CONMEBOL sides at this tournament as well given Berhalter's side had previously lost eight of 10 such games.

Victory also marked the USA's first Copa triumph over Bolivia in just their second attempt, avenging for a 1-0 defeat way back in 1995 when Marco Etcheverry scored the winner.

Bolivia wait goes on

Bolivia were seeking a win against a CONCACAF opponent in Copa action for the first time since the 1997 edition.

They defeated Mexico 3-1 in the semi-finals of the tournament they hosted 27 years ago, though a wait for another such victory must continue after a drab showing in Texas.

Carlos Zago won this competition as a player with Brazil in 1999 but his side have a long way to go if they are to even escape their group in the USA.

Bolivia have now lost their last four international outings by a concerning margin of 9-1, having suffered defeats against Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and the USA.

Adil Rashid lauded the match-winning abilities of Chris Jordan and Jos Buttler after England secured their T20 World Cup semi-final spot on Sunday.

England smashed the United States with a 10-wicket victory as Buttler powered an eye-catching 83, smashing six fours and seven sixes from just 38 balls.

Matthew Mott's white-ball side reached their 116-run target with a huge 62 deliveries to spare, sealing their place in the last four with ease after only just sneaking into the Super 8s phase.

Yet the convincing victory would not have been possible without Jordan, who managed four wickets from five balls – including a hat-trick – to end the USA's innings inside 19 overs.

Rashid, who also took 2-13 from his four-over spell, lavished praise on the England bowler, as well as captain Buttler.

"CJ's a match-winner," Rashid said in his post-match interview. "He's been doing it for a number of years, especially at the back end.

"Jos is a world-class player and has been for many a year, and hopefully we can carry it on now in the semi-finals."

Rashid was keen to share the credit among the entire England line-up, too.

"All the bowlers bowled extremely well and to restrict them to 115 was very pleasing," the leg-spinner added. "Always nice to keep it tight and get an early wicket which brings the new batter in.

"With the wind, you have to assess which end you're going to bowl. The googly's been coming out nicely, too."

Buttler seemed intent on a one-man demolition in England's chase, crunching the United States all over the pitch, including hammering 30 runs off Harmeet Singh's ninth over.

"I thought if we could bring our intensity we'd be too good," Buttler said. "I'm still one of the 11, I've got to do my job."

"We've got great options. We wanted to bring Chris Jordan back, adding a bit of depth with his batting capabilities as well. A World Cup hat-trick is a great effort."

The USA saw their World Cup run come to an end, but their victory over Pakistan will live long in the memory.

Aaron Jones, the star of the USA for much of the tournament, hopes to have put cricket on the American map.

"This is our first World Cup," he said. "I don't think people would have thought we'd be playing here against the big boys.

"Hopefully this will open the eyes of the American public. We've got a lot of calls and messages of support during this World Cup."

England booked their place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals after sauntering to a 10-wicket thrashing of the United States on Sunday.

Chris Jordan excelled at the end of the USA's innings, taking a hat-trick to finish with remarkable figures of 4-10, while Jos Buttler plundered 83 off 38 balls to see England over the line with 62 deliveries to spare.

Reece Topley, who failed to take a single wicket in the defeat to South Africa, set the tone early on as he snared Andries Gous for eight in the first over.

Though Nitish Kumar (30) and Corey Anderson (29) looked to be finding a rhythm for the tournament co-hosts, it did not last long, with Jordan entering the fray to get four wickets in five balls and bowl the USA out for just 115 in 18.5 overs.

England’s openers got all the work done themselves as Phil Salt scored 25, while Buttler did all the heavy lifting in his knock, smashing six fours and seven sixes, one of which hit the stadium roof.

Matthew Mott's side are the first team through to the last four thanks to their significant net run-rate advantage over West Indies and South Africa, who meet later on Sunday.

Data Debrief: Firing on all cylinders

Jordan became the eighth player to take a hat-trick of wickets at the T20 World Cup, but he also broke a record out in the field; he now has the most catches by a fielder (47) in T20Is for England, overtaking Eoin Morgan's 46.

Buttler got his first half-century of the tournament in this match, and scored 32 of his 83 runs in a single over, scoring five sixes in the ninth before getting another at the start of the 10th to seal the win for England.

Harry Brook says England are out to give the United States "a good battering" in Sunday's T20 World Cup contest as they bid to clinch a place in the last four.

Having beaten West Indies and lost to South Africa thus far in the Super 8s, England can all but secure a semi-final berth with a convincing win over the co-hosts in Barbados.

A good run-rate could prove pivotal in Group 2, where there is a chance of England, South Africa and West Indies all finishing on four points.

With that in mind, Brook has backed Jos Buttler's team to go on the offensive, saying: "We've got to win and then obviously see how we are on net run-rate but the main thing is to definitely get that win.

"We've played in Barbados quite a lot in the past six months so we know the conditions, we know the wind and the pitch as well so hopefully we can go out there and give them a good battering.

"I haven't actually seen them play, just a few highlights here and there of their bowlers, but we'll do our analysis and have a proper look to make sure we're ready for the game."

Net run-rate was the only thing that helped England survive the group stage, as they narrowly edged out Scotland to finish second behind Australia.

"We've been there before," Brook added. "We've got to concentrate on winning it first and then we'll have a chat and see what the run-rate says."

West Indies hammered their fellow T20 World Cup hosts the United States by nine wickets to put themselves in the driving seat for a semi-final spot.

Having lost their opening Super 8s match to England, the Windies bounced back in style in Barbados on Friday.

Shai Hope's unbeaten 82, which came from 39 balls and included eight sixes, three of which came on the bounce, saw West Indies surpass the target of just 129 within 11 overs.

Hope was recalled to the team after an injury to Brandon King, but will be a tough drop for Rovman Powell now.

The USA had made a promising start, but slipped from 51-1 to 65-4 in the space of three overs, with Andre Russell the pick of the Windies' bowlers (3-31).

They were skittled out for 128, with Hope, Johnson Charles (15) and Nicholas Pooran (27 not out) wasting little time in securing a margin of victory that sends West Indies above England in Group 2, while their net run rate is also superior to South Africa's.

The Proteas are West Indies' final opponents, while defending champions England face the USA in their last Super 8s match.

Data Debrief: Windies in fine fettle

West Indies have now won nine of their 11 T20Is in 2024, after winning eight games in each of 2022 and 2023.

Their tally of victories this year matches 2021 as their best effort in a single calendar year.

They have also won five of their last seven T20Is at Kensington Oval, and their last three in a row.

Tyler Adams believes winning a knockout match is the real measure of success for the United States at the Copa America.

The USA are the host nation of the 2024 Copa America, and they kick-start their campaign against Bolivia on Sunday.

Gregg Berhalter's team will also face Panama and Uruguay in Group C, which they are predicted to progress from in second place, according to Opta's supercomputer.

And while taking nothing for granted ahead of facing the tournament's worst-ranked team, Adams believes a true litmus test for the USA would be progressing beyond the quarter-finals.

"For me, it's getting past the quarter-final," said Adams.

"We need to – in a pressure situation – win in a knockout. That's going to measure a lot of our success."

Defender Mark McKenzie added: "When you talk about some of the most watched games, I think aside from the World Cup, you look at the Copa America.

"You talk about countries that have won multiple World Cups, in Uruguay and Argentina and Brazil.

"You have the opportunity now to step into this tournament and go head-to-head with them. Ultimately, it's usually a South American tournament and now we have the opportunity to play against them."

Carlos Zago won the Copa America with Brazil in 1999, and the Bolivia head coach is out to cause an upset at the AT&T Stadium.

"The most important thing is for us to compete," Zago said.

"We have to try to play on an equal footing with the big teams in terms of intensity and physicality."

Bournemouth midfielder Adams also made a bullish statement in regards to his own ability.

"When I'm healthy and playing consistently, I'm one of the best midfielders at what I do in the world," he said, as reported by the Daily Mail.

"I'm not a politician, I don't need to persuade anyone."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

United States - Christian Pulisic

Pulisic, who will captain the Stars and Stripes at this tournament, is their chief playmaker and also a potent goal threat.

Indeed, he is coming off his best season in terms of goals scored at club level, having netted 15 times for Milan in 2023-24.

Bolivia - Carlos Lampe

Carlos Lampe (nine) is two matches away from equalling Arturo Lopez (11) for the third-most appearances among goalkeepers for Bolivia in the Copa America.

Only Eduardo Gutierrez (12) and Vicente Arraya (20) have played more matches in goal for Bolivia in the competition.

MATCH PREDICTION: UNITED STATES WIN

The USA and Bolivia have faced each other only once in the Copa America, and it was a victory for the South American team, 1-0 at Estadio Parque Artigas in Uruguay during the group stage of the 1995 edition, thanks to a goal by Marco Etcheverry.

However, the USA are backed to win this time, even though CONMEBOL teams have won eight of the last 10 matches against the Stars and Stripes in the Copa America, including the two most recent: Argentina 4-0 USA (semifinals in 2016) and Colombia 1-0 USA (third-place match in 2016).

Bolivia will seek a win against a CONCACAF opponent in the competition for the first time since the 1997 edition when they defeated Mexico 3-1 in the semi-finals of the tournament they hosted.

Expect Bolivia to go long more often than not. So far in the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Bolivia (along with Paraguay) have the highest average passing distance (20.5 meters).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

USA - 58%

Bolivia - 21%

Draw - 21%

West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase believes it is his country's destiny to win the T20 World Cup following their nine-wicket victory over fellow co-hosts the United States.

The 32-year-old took 3-19 as the USA were bowled out for 128, with Shai Hope hitting an unbeaten 82 from 39 balls as the Windies leapfrogged England in the race for the semi-finals. 

"It is our destiny and our goal to win this World Cup," Chase said after the victory. "We want teams to know they have to beat us to win this World Cup."

Rovman Powell's side equalled the record for the West Indies' most wins in a single calendar year (W9 in 2021) in T20Is, and face South Africa in Antigua next Monday. 

The triumph continued their impressive T20 record at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, and they have now won five of their previous seven T20Is at the venue. 

The last and only previous time they won more consecutive games in Barbados was a four-game streak from May 2010 to March 2014, which has got the West Indies believing they can claim a third title. 

"It's very special," captain Powell said. "Kensington brings special memories for us. We had no better opportunity to come out and play some good cricket."

The USA still holds on to the hopes of qualifying for the competition's semi-finals but knows their hopes of progression lie elsewhere. 

Having lost their opening Super 8 fixture to South Africa, they will be hoping the Proteas can do them a favour in defeating the West Indies but would need a comprehensive victory of their own against current champions England. 

"We lost wickets in clusters," captain Aaron Jones said. "I don't think we ever truly recovered from that. It was bad in the middle.

"We'll go back to the drawing board and come back hard against England on Sunday."

Barbadian Kyle Mayers has been added to the West Indies squad as replacement for Brandon King ahead of their crucial ICC Men's T20 World Cup Super Eight clash against United States.

The left-hander's approval was confirmed by the tournament's Event Technical Committee on Friday.

Mayers, who has played 37 T20Is, was named as a replacement after King was ruled out due to a side strain which forced him to retire hurt in the Caribbean side's loss to England in St Lucia.

However, Mayers will not be involved in the clash of the co-hosts, as he is expected to join the squad on Saturday, and could possibly feature in their final Group 2 Super Eight contest against South Africa.

The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the player can be officially added to the squad.

The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 consists of Wasim Khan (ICC General Manager – Cricket), Chris Tetley (ICC Head of Events), Johnny Grave (CEO, Cricket West Indies) and Kass Naidoo (Independent Representative).