After Ed Johnson gave the USA (0-1-0, 0 Points) the lead in the opening nine minutes via a penalty kick goal, Hernan Crespo tied it for Argentina (1-0-0, 3 Points) two minutes later.
Crespo (64th), Pablo Aimar (78th) and Carlos Tevez (85th) scored in the second half for Argentina as the defeat the USA by a score of 4:1. The four goals are the most given up by the stars & stripes since they lost 4:1 to Germany on 22 March 2006.
In the other Group C encounter on Thursday in Maracaibo, three goals by Roque Santa Cruz and two more from Salvador Cabañas led Paraguay (1-0-0, 3 Points) to a 5:0 victory over Colombia (0-1-0, 0 Points).
The 2007 Copa América continues for the CONCACAF teams on Sunday with Group B action as Mexico (1-0-0, 3 Points) takes on Ecuador (0-1-0, 0 Points) at the Estadio Monumental in Maturín, Venezuela at 18:20.
At the conclusion of the first round on 5 July, the top two from each group along side the two best third-place finishers will progress to the quarterfinals from 7-8 July.
The semifinals will take place in Maraciabo & Puerto Ordaz on 10 & 11 July, respectively. The third-place match is scheduled for Caracas on 14 July, with the championship match set for the following day in Maraciabo.
This is the seventh consecutive Copa América that CONCACAF teams have been invited to since 1993 and on each occasion since then, at least one CONCACAF squad has reached the quarterfinals.
Copa America - Venezuela 2007
Group B
01.07.2007: Maturín; Estadio Monumental (18:20)
MEXICO - ECUADOR
04.07.2007: Puerto La Cruz; Estadio General José Anzoatégui (18:35)
MEXICO - CHILE
Group C
28.06.2007: Maracaibo; Estadio José Encarnación Romero (A: 34500)
ARGENTINA - USA 4:1 (1:1)
Hernan CRESPO 11', 64'; Pablo AIMAR 78'; Carlos TEVEZ 85' - Ed JOHNSON 9' pen
ARG: Robert Abbondanzieri - Javier Zanetti, Robert Ayala, Gabriel Milito, Gabriel Heinze, Javier Mascherano, Juan Sebastian Veron, Esteban Cambiasso (58: Pablo Aimar), Juan Roman Riquelme, Lionel Messi (79: Carlos Tevez), Hernan Crespo. Booked: Milito 58'
TD: Alfio BASILE
USA: Kasey Keller - Marvell Wynne, Jay DeMerit, Jimmy Conrad, Jonathan Bornstein, Benny Feilhaber, Ricardo Clark (79: Kyle Beckerman), Ben Olsen (62: Eddie Gaven), Justin Mapp, Taylor Twellman (69: Herculez Gomez), Ed Johnson. Booked: Bornstein 73'
TD: Bob BRADLEY
R: Carlos CANDIA (CHI)
02.07.2007: Barinas; Estadio Agustin Tovar (18:35)
USA - PARAGUAY
05.07.2007: Barquisimeto; Estadio Metropolitano (20:50)
COLOMBIA - USA
Photos by Reinaldo D' Santiago/AP
