CHICAGO – The distance between U.S. Soccer Federation headquarters on the near South Side and Soldier Field is a half-mile, a pair of historic structures bound by sport. What occurs at the lakeside stadium Tuesday promises to reverberate to the twin, leased mansions on South Prairie Street, once known as the Fifth Avenue of the Midwest.
The federation’s cornerstone, the men’s national team, cannot afford to drop another Copa America Centenario match — not after the 2-0 defeat to Colombia in the Group A opener, not in a tournament it’s hosting, not against a fellow CONCACAF opponent (Costa Rica), not after Coach Jurgen Klinsmann set his sights on the semifinals.