USA vs. Puerto Rico: Score, Reaction from 2016 International Friendly

The USA started their preparations for the upcoming Copa America Centenario with a routine 3-1 win over Puerto Rico in an international friendly on Sunday.

Tim Ream and Bobby Wood gave the visitors a deserved two-goal lead, but Luis Betancur pulled one back for Puerto Rico late in the first half.

The hosts started the second half on the front foot, but a goal by Paul Arriola on his debut killed their momentum. Both teams made a numbers of substitutions after the strike, and the match petered out.

As shared by Fox Soccer, DeAndre Yedlin and John Brooks both started for the Stars and Stripes:

USA lineup vs Puerto Rico: Guzan; Yedlin, Orozco, Brooks, Ream; Kitchen, Williams, Bedoya, Morales; Wood, Arriola. #USMNT #USAvPUR

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 22, 2016

Like international friendlies so often do, Sunday’s clash started at a slow pace, with neither team seemingly interested in forcing the action. The USA enjoyed possession early, and the first chance fell to Yedlin, who tried his luck with an ambitious volley that was blocked.

The Stars and Stripes were far from dominant, however, and in midfield, Puerto Rico were in control. Chances were few for either side during the opening stages, and Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey was anything but impressed with the visitors:

The #USMNT are being outplayed by a team they should be beating by at least a goal already. Shocking, right? #USAvPUR

— Joe Tansey (@JTansey90) May 22, 2016

Michael Orozco was shaken up when he took a boot to the face from Betancur, which halted play momentarily, before Ream comically missed a cross.

Alejandro Bedoya nearly found some space after a lovely through ball from Yedlin. The visitors started …

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