Amebo Students: COPA AMERICA THIRD PLACE

Copa America third-place game: Tim Howard returns for United States-Colombia

United States vs. Colombia in Glendale, Ariz., 8 p.m. (FX, Univision)

The United States men’s national team will end the Copa America Centenario the way it started: with a game against Colombia. But it will hope not to endexactly the way it started: with a loss against Colombia.

One change is guaranteed: Tim Howard, the Americans’ 2014 World Cup hero, will be between the sticks. “He has been outstanding to help the team go all the way through in this tournament, helping Brad Guzan wherever he could, keeping the spirit very positive and pushing from behind,” Coach Jurgen Klinsmann said at a Friday news conference.

[Why aren’t the U.S. men elite? The problem isn’t Klinsmann.]

The move is not a statement, Klinsmann insisted, but Howard will be a welcome sight nonetheless for many after Guzan’s blunder on Argentina’s opener Tuesday sent the United States on its way to a semifinal loss — and a berth in this game instead of Sunday’s Final.

Who will shield Howard is unclear. Center back John Brooks, who submitted four gigantic performances in this tournament, and Fabian Johnson, a midfielder at club-level shoehorned into left back here, each entered the Copa with slight injuries, and Klinsmann said he had not yet decided whether they would start. With two key World Cup qualifiers set for September, there would seem to be little incentive to take the risk.

Colombia could be of a similar mind. Standout midfielder James Rodriguez went down with an injury the last time these teams met, and though he hasn’t sat out a full game since, Los Cafeteros’ own looming qualifiers mean he might be best off on the sidelines for this one.

The question, in the end, is one of motivation. Klinsmann is no longer coaching for his job; the U.S. and Colombia are no longer playing for a title. If nothing else, redemption calls.

“There’s disappointment that you get to a semifinal and you never really give your chance to settle in and really let the game play out,” U.S. captain Michael Bradley said. “That part is disappointing, but I think when you look back, in large part it’s been a very positive few weeks.

“I think every guy to a man should feel proud of what went into it. We’ll see if we can finish that off on a positive note.”