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Christian Pulisic celebrates after scoring a stunning goal against Bolivia on Sunday.
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It was the perfect start for Christian Pulisic and the United States at this year's Copa America, as the forward led his side to a 2-0 win over Bolivia on Sunday.
The US captain eased the home team's nerves with a superb goal in just the third minute of the match, beating the Bolivian goalkeeper from a corner.
The 25-year-old then played goal provider, setting up Folarin Balogun for his team's second goal just before halftime at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
This is the second time the tournament is being held in the United States, a precursor to co-hosting the World Cup in 2026.
“We came out with a lot of energy. Obviously the early goal helped us a lot. Overall it was a very impressive performance,” Pulisic told Fox Soccer after the match.
“We should take some confidence from this and feel good, but as the tournament goes on the games will get more difficult.”
Superior in quality and experience, the USA won comfortably against a Bolivian team that struggled to make much of an impact.
In truth, the home team could have, and should have, extended their lead but they failed to convert the numerous chances that came their way.
Balogun thought he had scored the third goal for the United States, but his effort was ruled offside in the 53rd minute.
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Pulisic's effort went over the outstretched arm of Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra.
The United States faces Panama in its next Group C match, and then faces a tough challenge from Uruguay in its final group match.
Despite a number of talented players such as Timothy Weah, Pulisic and Balogun, serious questions remain about whether the US team can be consistently competitive against teams outside the CONCACAF bubble.
If the U.S. advances in the tournament, it will have a chance to address such concerns, but that will require its star players to shine.
“The biggest thing was there was no doubt. Scoring the early goal really took the pressure off,” U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter told Fox Soccer after the game, praising Pulisic's “dangerous” performance.
“It’s always important to win your first match, we talked throughout the tournament about progressing and improving our performances, so I think it’s a good start.”
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