SEATTLE — Since his coaching tenure began five years ago, Jurgen Klinsmann has craved a breakthrough victory for his U.S. men's national soccer team. Opportunity have come and passed, narrow shortfalls in major competitions, at home and abroad.
They will head to Houston for Tuesday’s semifinal against the winner of Saturday’s match between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Venezuela.
“Our program is maturing, our players are maturing,” Klinsmann said. “They are learning with every game that they can play in this type of environment. . . . They made a huge step forward tonight. They absolutely deserved this win.”
Clint Dempsey, who stars in this city for the MLS’s Sounders, scored in the first half to continue his torrid tournament pace and Gyasi Zardes added a goal midway through the second.
Ecuador scored in the 74th minute in a match that featured twin ejections, several scuffles, an incident between Klinsmann and an Ecuadorean player, the ejection of Ecuador’s coach for tossing a water bottle onto the field and three potential tying threats in the dying moments.
“To go deep into a tournament, you need to be able to win games in different ways,” captain Michael Bradley said. “We’ve had nights where we’ve played very well; we’ve had other nights where we have had to defend, to suffer together, to make sure our mentality carries us through. Tonight was probably a little bit of both.”
The last landmark U.S. victory came under Bradley’s father, Bob, who oversaw a 2-0 semifinal shocker against Spain at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.
A year later, after winning their World Cup group, the Americans were in prime position to beat a talented but unproven Ghana side in the round of 16 but lost in extra time, 2-1.
At the next World Cup, in 2014 in Brazil, they were clear underdogs against Belgium in the round of 16 but again faced a team without a history of success on the world stage. The opportunity was ripe for an upset. Anchored by Tim Howard’s goalkeeping heroics, the Americans forced extra time but fell, 2-1.
On a regional scale, Klinsmann’s squad had faltered last year in the Gold Cup (semifinal defeat to Jamaica) and the CONCACAF Cup against Mexico.
Which brought them to this renowned competition, featuring South America’s finest as well as invited northern guests. The first round went better than expected: two victories after an opening loss to group favorite Colombia and a first-place finish.
Klinsmann retained the same lineup from the three group matches but with one required change: Matt Besler replaced DeAndre Yedlin (red card suspension) on the backline.
When Yedlin was sent off against Paraguay, Klinsmann had inserted Michael Orozco at right back. But for greater big-game experience against a lethal Ecuador attack, Klinsmann opted for Besler, a 2014 World Cup starter at center back, on the left and moved the versatile Fabian Johnson to the right.
Ecuador is not a traditional South American titan, but since Coach Gustavo Quinteros’s appointment in early 2015, the team has rounded into fine form.
Johnson equipped himself well. Teammates had trouble, but poor touches by Bradley and Geoff Cameron in deep positions went unpunished.
The Americans went ahead in the 22nd minute. Bobby Wood, whose pace and presence stretched Ecuador’s defense, ran out of options deep in the box and pushed the ball back to Jermaine Jones for one-touch service.
Dempsey slipped into a pocket between Juan Paredes and Frickson Erazo to snap a nine-yard header into the right corner for his 52nd international goal, five behind U.S. career leader Landon Donovan.
He has posted three goals and three assists in three consecutive victories.
The Americans manufactured more quality opportunities before the half, but Alexander Dominguez stopped angled bids from close range by Dempsey and Alejandro Bedoya.
Just before intermission, goaltender Brad Guzan bailed out Bradley, who had made a terrible back pass in midfield.
At the start of the second half, Ecuador prowled for an equalizer. Cameron dodged a penalty kick and a twice-headed set piece flew wide.
The match unraveled in the 51st minute. Antonio Valencia chopped down Bedoya with an awful tackle on the sideline for a second yellow card. John Brooks shoved Michael Arroyo from behind. Jones swiped at Arroyo’s face. If he made contact, it was light. Nonetheless, referee Wilmar Roldan consulted with the fourth official and reached for the red card, leaving the teams with 10 players aside.
Klinsmann called the red-card decision an “absolute joke” and a “disgrace.”
Jones will miss the semifinal, as will Wood and Bedoya, who, later in the half, collected their second yellows of the tournament.
The second goal came in the 65th minute. Besler lifted a high cross. Zardes won the header. Dempsey won possession. His low shot beat Dominguez, but Zardes made sure it found the target with a simple tap-in.
Ecuador responded in the 74th minute on Arroyo’s booming one-timer from 20 yards off Walter Ayovi’s free kick from the side of the box. Two minutes later, Enner Valencia inexplicably missed wide with a running header.
“We’ve all played in moments where things get crazy, where things become chaotic,” Bradley said. “At that point, there are no style points.”
Nervy times. As he did in the group finale, Klinsmann revved up the crowd by flapping his arms. Klinsmann was also involved in an altercation after an Ecuadoran player threw the ball at Besler.
Later, after a call against Ecuador, a water bottle flew onto the field from the bench. Quinteros was ordered to the locker room.
Another near-miss by Ecuador. More pressure. Brooks almost deflected a ball into his own net.
Then, a final whistle, relief and celebration.
“Hopefully we can keep pushing and do something special here,” Dempsey said, “more special than what we’ve already done.”
Winning Thursday guaranteed the Americans two more matches: the semifinal and the third-place match or final.
“We’ve come so far now,” Klinsmann said, “and we’re even hungrier for the next step.”
