US SOCCER

[tribe_pride]

A win or a tie will get US an auto qualifier to Russia. Technically, a tie could result in playoff or being left out but Panama would have to beat Costa Rica by something like 7 or more or Honduras would have to beat Mexico by at least 12 because of the goal differential tiebreaker

A loss by the US to Trinidad and US would auto qualify if neither Panama or Honduras win
A loss by the US to Trinidad and US would be put in playoff position if 1 of Panama or Honduras win
A loss by US to Trinidad and US would be out if both Panama and Honduras win.

Big one is Argentina needs to win to definitely go to Russia
A tie by Argentina and they will need help from the Peru/Colombia game and/or the Chile/Brazil game to get playoff or auto in.
A loss by Argentina at Ecuador and they are out.

[GannonFan]

Pulisic, at just 19 years old, is already staking claim to being the best US produced soccer player ever. Just took over in that Panama game. That's the kind of stuff you want to see a big time player do - seize the moment and leave no doubt. He'll need to do more of the same tomorrow night but he's clearly a stud of a player. Get a few more like him and the US could make real noise.

[tribe_pride]

From the looks of things, they may need a boat to play the game tomorrow.

[Rob Iola]

Pulisic, at just 19 years old, is already staking claim to being the best US produced soccer player ever. Just took over in that Panama game. That's the kind of stuff you want to see a big time player do - seize the moment and leave no doubt. He'll need to do more of the same tomorrow night but he's clearly a stud of a player. Get a few more like him and the US could make real noise.

He needs an enforcer - someone willing to make CONCACAF thugs think twice before mugging him - like maybe this guy:

[93henfan]

If the US ever gets good, will we be able to throw bags of piss at other teams? Or is that just a Mexican thing?

[GannonFan]

From the looks of things, they may need a boat to play the game tomorrow.

Field looks like it's drying up. Tons of rain there lately, apparently. It would never be an ideal surface but certainly playable.

[89Hen]

From the looks of things, they may need a boat to play the game tomorrow.

Field looks like it's drying up. Tons of rain there lately, apparently. It would never be an ideal surface but certainly playable.

Don't they often let the grass grow really tall at these away games when the US comes calling?

[GannonFan]

Field looks like it's drying up. Tons of rain there lately, apparently. It would never be an ideal surface but certainly playable.

Don't they often let the grass grow really tall at these away games when the US comes calling?

Depends on the team and if they have any speed. Sometimes they cut the grass really low so that the ball skips all over the place. Of course, we do the same kind of stuff to them - we make the teams from the Caribbean play in really cold places with snow during the winter games.

[93henfan]

So we're losing 2-0 to Trinidad in the first half?

[Skjellyfetti]

Pretty awful showing so far. Inconsistent as hell. Dominant against Panama... to this...

And, Bruce can complain about the field all he wants, but the field looks better than the team in the first half.

[GannonFan]

So we're losing 2-0 to Trinidad in the first half?

The US is trying to redefine the term "backing your way in". Unbelievably, as it stands, the US can lose to Trinadad and still qualify for the World Cup tonight as both Honduras and Panama are losing their games. The US is following Mexico's path to the 2014 World Cup as they needed the US, who had already qualified, to win a meaningless game to get in and they got that. With that said, it's hard to imagine the team that looked so good winning 4-0 just a few days ago and being totally out of it against a Trinidad team that hasn't won a game in their last 9 games. Tim Howard should be retired after this and possibly investigated for match fixing - it's hard to look any worse on two balls than he has. That second goal came almost from the bench.

[GannonFan]

BTW, don't know who's following this but Messi has just finished off a hat trick with a signature 40 yard weave through the Ecuador defense to finish and put Argentina up 3-1 in a game where they have to win to make the World Cup (if they lose they're out). They went down 1-0 just 38 seconds into the game and Messi has single handidly brought them back from the abyss. The guy is just fantastic.

[Grizalltheway]

BTW, don't know who's following this but Messi has just finished off a hat trick with a signature 40 yard weave through the Ecuador defense to finish and put Argentina up 3-1 in a game where they have to win to make the World Cup (if they lose they're out). They went down 1-0 just 38 seconds into the game and Messi has single handidly brought them back from the abyss. The guy is just fantastic.

And just like that the American Messi puts the US back in the game.

[GannonFan]

Pulisic with a quick goal just after halftime - the kid is something special - basically took the ball on one touch, went to his side, and unleashed a shot to the opposite side of the net. Down 2-1 - a tie would also get the US in automatically.

[GannonFan]

Panama and Honduras have tied up their games. If either of them win and the US loses, the US would be 4th and would have to play Australia in a home and home with the winner going to World Cup. If both Honduras and Panama pull ahead to win while the US loses and the US goes home.

[GannonFan]

Honduras goes ahead (so much for Mexico returning the favor to the US from 2014) - as it stands, US would be 4th and having to win a series against Australia just to qualify. Trinadad has had more chances than the US since the Pulisic goal.

[dbackjon]

Panama and Honduras have tied up their games. If either of them win and the US loses, the US would be 4th and would have to play Australia in a home and home with the winner going to World Cup. If both Honduras and Panama pull ahead to win while the US loses and the US goes home.

Mexico and Costa Rica are going to lay down and get the US eliminated. Called that at the half

[Grizalltheway]

Panama and Honduras have tied up their games. If either of them win and the US loses, the US would be 4th and would have to play Australia in a home and home with the winner going to World Cup. If both Honduras and Panama pull ahead to win while the US loses and the US goes home.

Mexico and Costa Rica are going to lay down and get the US eliminated. Called that at the half

Thanks Trump

[Rob Iola]

Panama and Honduras have tied up their games. If either of them win and the US loses, the US would be 4th and would have to play Australia in a home and home with the winner going to World Cup. If both Honduras and Panama pull ahead to win while the US loses and the US goes home.

Mexico and Costa Rica are going to lay down and get the US eliminated. Called that at the half

And there's the Panama goal...

But yikes, if this result doesn't have US Soccer tear down and completely rebuild the program, what will?

[GannonFan]

Mexico and Costa Rica are going to lay down and get the US eliminated. Called that at the half

Thanks Trump

I think Trump is anti-soccer - he's alright with this result.

US is eliminated.

[Skjellyfetti]

The US is trying to redefine the term "backing your way in".

Yeah... not qualifying is definitely a new way to define "backing your way in".

[GannonFan]

The US is trying to redefine the term "backing your way in".

Yeah... not qualifying is definitely a new way to define "backing your way in".

??? Why they hate?

[GannonFan]

Gutless effort by the US, a deserving exit from the qualification. Other than Pulisic's strike, pretty much no creativity all night. And Howard giving up those first two goals, the first on a sloppy own goal, and then the other on a blast from the sideline, you have to question why Howard was in there - he was brutal. Shame is you waste a chance for Pulisic to be in the World Cup - he won't get another chance until 2022 when he's 24 years old.

[BDKJMU]

They lost 2-0 at HOME in a WC qualifier and play on the road in a couple of hours. They very well could have to play in to the WC vs an Asian team. I was wrong about US being no better than they were years ago... they're worse.

This will always be your 6.93 moment. We are certainly better than we were in 1994, which is what you first said. And yes, we'll still make the World Cup - the CONCACAF qualifying is extremely forgiving. We're basically doing what Mexico did to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. I'm sure they were worse than our 1994 team then as well.

[93henfan]

If the US ever gets good, will we be able to throw bags of piss at other teams? Or is that just a Mexican thing?

Darn. Will we ever get to throw piss bags?