These results are actually very mathematically possible. There is nothing that odd about them. If you replayed these games 10 times over you would probably see the result closer to what you are expecting In other words, a handful of games isn't really enough to decide anything scientifically. A lesser team can beat a better team one day, and lose to them the next 3 times. In soccer this is especially a concern because of the lack of scoring opportunities. This is why you see so many undeserved upsets in the game of soccer. For example, if you could go back in time and replay the Costa Rica USA games 10 times, a final score of 4 to nil probably would not happen again. SOURCES https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_large_numbers Law Of Large Numbers And Sports Results Mathematical Problem With Scoring In Soccer
It's nor rigged. Argentina is better than everyone else and we played a bunch of has beens. It's not shocking to see the run end here.
USA has an Elo of 22, and a FIFA ranking in the 20s. That's around the middle of this field. http://eloratings.net/copa_america.html Mexico, Uruguay, and Brazil all wet themselves - which means that a QF-level team (USA), gets to go to the semis in a "weak" QF matchup (Ecuador vs. USA). The USA won that by a single goal at home against a team only a LITTLE BIT AHEAD of them in Elo. NONE of this is surprising. The USA plays ugly football - which is why you think we're worse than we are. It's understandable. Mexico lost 7-0 because they quit at 3-0. It wasn't indicative of anything.
OK, let's play devil's advocate here: 1. WHO are you paying off? 2. How can you afford to do it? These players are all very very rich - most of them don't need the money. Are you really going to pay out 8 figures to buy a key player? 3. How do you get teammates not "in" to shut up about it? This would be so easy to blow open in the media. 4. Mexico wouldn't agree to fold like this - those players, if caught, would be in serious trouble if they ever went home. 5. The one situation that is dubious is Colombia over-rotating the squad in a game that they needed a point from. 6. Are we going to pretend there is no human element? That it is impossible for a weaker team to win? The rigging in Serie A still lingers around that league. People still haven't come to take it seriously. If rigging was tied to MLS players/US Soccer, it would literally shut down interest overnight.