The American striker has proven to be the team's go-to guy in this competition. Here's why we believe he could lead the USMNT to the Copa América Centenario final.

The USMNT returned for the second time in the team's history to a Copa América semi-final. Sorting out all kinds of problems, Jurgen Klinsmann's crew have managed to make it to the competition's final four stage. With the support of their fans and home-field advantage, their chances of success have increased by the minute.

But none of this would have been possible if Clint Dempsey wasn't around. The 33-year old striker has proven to be more crucial than ever for the Stars and Stripes, and his goals and assists will come in handy against the team that has shown the most credentials to take the trophy home: Argentina.

Why has Dempsey been a key asset for Klinsmann's crew? Let's have a look at his accomplishments.

Clint Dempsey's USMNT career: recap, stats & facts

  • Dempsey's first call up to the major USMNT squad came in 2004, under coach Bruce Arena.

  • The Texas-born player is currently ranked 2nd in the team's all-time goal scoring chart with 52 goals. He needs six more to surpass Landon Donovan's tally of 57 goals. In other words, two hat-tricks in the last two games at the 2016 Copa America Centenario would see him match Donovan's record this month. 

  • The former Fulham striker helped the USMNT to win the 2005 and 2007 Gold Cup titles.

  • He is the only player in USMNT's history to score at least one goal in three different World Cup editions (2006, 2010 & 2014).

  • He scored a crucial goal for the USMNT during the 2009 Confederations Cup against Spain. That goal sent the Americans to the tournament's final, which they would eventually lose against Brazil.

  • Dempsey won the Golden Boot in the 2015 Gold Cup, scoring seven goals.

Last year, Dempsey was the only player to escape criticism after the USMNT's failure in the 2015 Gold Cup, which saw the team losing the 3rd-place match against Panama.

Why is Clint Dempsey so underrated?

Despite playing eight seasons in the English Premier League with clubs such as Fulham and Tottenham, the American striker is usually overlooked by football experts around the world, mostly because he played second-fiddle for the USMNT behind the now-retired Landon Donovan. With "Captain America" out of the picture, fans seem to trust Michael Bradley a bit more than Dempsey, mostly because the midfielder earned the captain's armband following a rant by the Seattle Sounders' ace. Back in 2015, Dempsey tore apart the ref's notepad after being sent off, and he has failed to win back Klinsmann's trust for the captaincy, since then.

Fans still believe that Dempsey is not as influential as Landon Donovan was, which could be the reason behind the public's lack of confidence in the Texas-born player.

How crucial has Dempsey been in the 2016 Copa América Centenario?

The USMNT has good reasons to believe in Dempsey's skills, this summer. Putting aside their appalling performance against Colombia in the tournament's opening match, Dempsey's made his presence felt in each and every game of the competition. He has scored three goals for the Stars & Stripes thus far. That effort is good enough to have him ranked third in the Copa America Centenario's Golden Boot race. Furthermore, his three assists make him the most influential player in the course of the Copa América, as this means that he has been directly involved in six of the USMNT's seven goals.

Dempsey's goal against Paraguay helped the team make it to the KO stage. A loss against the Albirroja would have thumped the USMNT out of the tournament.

With these numbers, it shouldn't be a surprise if the American striker led the Stars & Stripes to score a massive upset against Argentina. Dempsey has imposed himself as the USMNT's redeemer on home soil in the tournament. A top and decisive display to shock La Albiceleste will be enough proof of his class. Denying the almighty Lionel Messi from leading his Argentine army into their third consecutive final in two years: this is what it would take for the former English Premier League player to let his name resound in the press across the globe. At the ripe age of 33, and with a possible fourth World Cup appearance on the Russian horizon, Dempsey could cement his name in the USMNT's history, and the game against Argentina may very well engrave his name in stone as a true world football legend. 

The opportunity is there for his taking. Can he? definitely! Will he? This is what we are about to witness.

 

Match details, result and original broadcast info

USA 0 - 4 Argentina

June 21, 2016 9:00pmNRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)

This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.

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