Juan Carlos Paredes played the majority of the game as Ecuador’s run in the centenary Copa America came to an end with a 2-1 defeat against hosts USA in Seattle overnight.

The Hornets defender started at right-back in a 4-2-3-1 formation but his side were up against it from the 22nd minute when Clint Dempsey headed in his 52nd goal for the USA following a Jermaine Jones cross.

However, Jones was to be sent off seven minutes after the restart when a skirmish broke out after Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia had tripped Alejandro Bedoya after the whistle had been blown.

The American saw red for seemingly slapping Michael Arroyo in the face, while Valencia was also dismissed for a second yellow card.

With both sides reduced to ten men, Gyasi Zardes doubled the hosts’ lead in the 65th minute when he poked home Dempsey’s ball across the goalmouth.

But Ecuador were not finished and they halved the deficit nine minutes later when Walter Ayovi deceived the Americans by playing a free-kick along the ground into the penalty area and Arroyo fired past Brad Guzan.

Paredes, who received a yellow card just prior to the Americans’ second goal, was replaced by Jaime Ayovi with eight minutes of normal time remaining and Ecuador almost snatched an equaliser when Enner Valencia headed narrowly off target.

USA will now meet the winners of the quarter-final between Argentina and Venezuela, for whom Watford’s Adalberto Penaranda may again start when they meet at midnight on Saturday UK time.