World Cup Qualifiers

The U.S. won't qualify.

Losing McKennie hurts.
Truth is we should have enough depth to withstand this and still beat two of the remaining three teams we have.

The whole reason this is even close to a question right now is because of the MLB B-stars lineup that played at Panama earlier in qualifying.
 

Losing McKennie hurts.
Truth is we should have enough depth to withstand this and still beat two of the remaining three teams we have.

The whole reason this is even close to a question right now is because of the MLB B-stars lineup that played at Panama earlier in qualifying.
Reyna is healthy just in time to step in for McKennie.
 

Weston McKennie is out for the next round of qualifiers - injury - our chances to land in the top three just took a big drop. Without him I'd focus everything on winning the Panama and Costa Rica games, and just play to tie Mexico.

For the Mexico game I'd literally leave Pulisic, Reyna (looks like his injury isn't as serious as Weston's), Dest and Adams in Florida where they can recover from their seasons and be ready to go against Panama; and go with a defensive line up in Azteca. Both Mexico and the U.S. would be happy with a tie, as with that we're both one win from locking our tickets. We need to beat Panama, that's the key.

For our side against Mexico, I'd go with Zardes on top (big body to bang with Mexico) and in a bit of surprise I'd call up Hoppe as I think he has the right attitude for a Mexico match. Acosta fills in for Adam's roll, and I'd play Steffan in goal (Miller for the Panama and Costa Rica matches).
I would be hesitant about literally burning points in a dumpster before we've qualified. CR is very capable of jumping us with that mentality. I might agree with you to sit Adams since he's on a yellow card. Reyna should be a sub because I don't think he'll be in starting shape. Dest and Pulisic better be in the XI. Pefok is also my first choice striker this window. The man has 8 goals/2 assists since December. He's the only American striker scoring goals right now (Former Loons Plug: besides Christian Ramirez :)) .

We have won every game against Mexico since 2019. We haven't lost in Azteca since 2009. This is Mexico's worst team in decades. Step on the gas and punch your ticket to Qatar before going to San Jose. If Gregg trots out a full B squad in Azteca, he shouldn't be allowed on the plane to Orlando.
 
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I would be hesitant about literally burning points in a dumpster before we've qualified. CR is very capable of jumping us with that mentality. I might agree with you to sit Adams since he's on a yellow card. Reyna should be a sub because I don't think he'll be in starting shape. Dest and Pulisic better be in the XI. Pefok is also my first choice striker this window. The man has 8 goals/2 assists since December. He's the only American striker scoring goals right now (Former Loons Plug: besides Christian Ramirez :)) .

We have won every game against Mexico since 2019. We haven't lost in Azteca since 2009. This is Mexico's worst team in decades. Step on the gas and punch your ticket to Qatar before going to San Jose. If Gregg trots out a full B squad in Azteca, he shouldn't be allowed on the plane to Orlando.
It'll be interesting to see what he does. Remember that these are three games over seven days - for most positions you can't have someone play in all three games and expect them to go full speed. Put Dest and Pulisic in for a full 90 against Mexico like you say, then you realistically have to pull them out of some parts of the Panama and CR games, and of course there's the risk of anyone playing in the Mexico game picking up a card or getting injured. My point is that the second two games are more important than the first, so you need to have your full "A-Team" ready for those.
 

It'll be interesting to see what he does. Remember that these are three games over seven days - for most positions you can't have someone play in all three games and expect them to go full speed. Put Dest and Pulisic in for a full 90 against Mexico like you say, then you realistically have to pull them out of some parts of the Panama and CR games, and of course there's the risk of anyone playing in the Mexico game picking up a card or getting injured. My point is that the second two games are more important than the first, so you need to have your full "A-Team" ready for those.
Estadio Nacional is historically a tougher away fixture than Azteca. I like our chances for points at Azteca more than San Jose. Playing scared in a huge rivalry in the first fixture sets a negative tone for the entire window.

Play for points in Azteca and hope Costa Rica loses/draws to Canada. If you lose, then beat Panama and send everyone back to Europe from Orlando.

If CR beats Canada then hopefully we got a point for the 3rd straight visit at Azteca. We still clinch in Orlando and send everyone back to Europe.

There should only be two meaningful games in this window, and I don’t want the last one in a place where we never get points to mean anything. We all remember what happened last time.
 
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I like our chances to finish top 3 assuming we get at least five points. Absolutely need to win the Panama game. I’d take a draw at azteca and Costa Rica. We do not want to have to play New Zealand in a one off playoffs in Qatar. I don’t like our chances as that’s a lot of pressure for the coach and players and don’t think they could handle it
 

Roster for next camp was posted.

Unlike many USMNT fans, I don't get overly upset about the choices. Not huge on Arriola and Roldan but if they don't play much, I'm fine with it.

James Sands seems to get an unusually high amount of hate. I don't know much about him.
 

Well thank goodness they didn’t play the B squad because Costa Rica did exactly what the B squad parrots (Matt Doyle) didn’t think would happen.

Win in Orlando and we’re in on goal difference. No need for nerves on the final day.

Pefok got his chance, but that might be the last one. Boy did he provide no energy at all. Then capped it off with a miss worse than Wondo’s. Pepi wasn’t any better. Jesus is probably starting Sunday.
 
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Well thank goodness they didn’t play the B squad because Costa Rica did exactly what the B squad parrots (Matt Doyle) didn’t think would happen.

Win in Orlando and we’re in on goal difference. No need for nerves on the final day.

Pefok got his chance, but that might be the last one. Boy did he provide no energy at all. Then capped it off with a miss worse than Wondo’s. Pepi wasn’t any better. Jesus is probably starting Sunday.
Pefok wasn't good. There's no excuse for his miss.

If our country could just develop a forward, we could be a top flight squad.
 



I felt bad for Reyna when Pefok whiffed hard. Cant believe im saying this..I miss Jozy Altidore.
 

On to the Panama game, but now we're down a bunch of starters: Dest, McKinney, Weah (who has been by far our biggest offensive threat), and Yedlin (who we need because of the Dest injury). Gio didn't play much of the Mexico game so he should be able to go nearly a full 90, and we especially need him now that Weah is out. Pulisic and Adams got pulled in the second half (but late in the half), so at least that saved their legs a bit. Musah (and Pulisic and Adams) were completely spent. With the short recovery time, it'll be hard for them to go the full 90 in Orlando.

Bottomline: we're now heading into the most important game of the qualifying down several players...

Also, kudos to Honduras in revamping their lineup, going with a bunch of new guys versus the veterans. Their tie of Panama helps us a lot.
 
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I felt bad for Reyna when Pefok whiffed hard. Cant believe im saying this..I miss Jozy Altidore.
I wish we had Sargent in camp - Sargent would have given us a possession striker with some size (great for playing Mexico) and a backup to Weah as a right-winger (nice for the Panama game).
 




The Mexico result left a lot to be desired but I'm very happy to see the quick goals tonight. I think we have a significant goal differential advantage over Costa Rica that we automatically qualify regardless of Wednesday's result. Feels great!
 

Also congrats to Canada. Easily the most complete team in Concacaf this qualification round. This is great for the region and will hopefully strength the USMNT going forward.
 

Don’t care about technicalities. Our ticket is punched. 2 more goals in the 2nd half and we could steal the top spot of the group with some fortune on the last match day.
 

And with that, CR will need a 6-0 win to knock the US out.

Now you can rotate the squad. Canada is realistically out of reach with the late goal Panama scored.
 

And with that, CR will need a 6-0 win to knock the US out.

Now you can rotate the squad. Canada is realistically out of reach with the late goal Panama scored.
Top spot, versus second or third, really doesn't matter. It won't change our seeding for the World Cup draw.
 

I think the Costa Rica game should pretty much be a route, as CR knows they're locked into fourth and will protect their players that have one yellow card -- if they pick up a second card during the match apparently they won't be able to be part of the fourth-place playoff game in June (which really seems like a dumb rule). Calvo, Ruíz, Oviedo, Celso, Campbell, Fuller, Venegas, Martínez and Jewison all have one yellow card.
 


While I thought we missed a golden opportunity at Azteca, with it only being half filled, can never be mad getting points there. Very impressive win vs Panama, they were trying to clog us up, but that early PK made them spread out and the route was on. Now the top four are set, costa Rica not going to beat us by six, but I doubt we make up a four goal differential on Canada, but a win would clinch second in Costa Rica, as we are +6 on Mexico in Goal Differential. Congrats to Canada, I thought the North American teams could go 1,2,3, but I never thought Canada would win the group. I'm sure at the draw they'll now be punished with some sort of Group of Death, but I'm sure they're just thrilled with their success north of the border right now.
 

While I thought we missed a golden opportunity at Azteca, with it only being half filled, can never be mad getting points there. Very impressive win vs Panama, they were trying to clog us up, but that early PK made them spread out and the route was on. Now the top four are set, costa Rica not going to beat us by six, but I doubt we make up a four goal differential on Canada, but a win would clinch second in Costa Rica, as we are +6 on Mexico in Goal Differential. Congrats to Canada, I thought the North American teams could go 1,2,3, but I never thought Canada would win the group. I'm sure at the draw they'll now be punished with some sort of Group of Death, but I'm sure they're just thrilled with their success north of the border right now.
You’re right that their FIFA ranking assures they’ll be in a group of death. They’re gonna wind up in pot 4 of the draw and have to play a top European and South American team. Unless they end up in the Qatar group.

The US has an outside shot of getting into pot 1 with a win over CR and if Portugal gets bounced by North Macedonia. But we’ll be solidly in pot 2 which should result in a decent draw. Serbia is the only pot 3 team that really scares me.

The draw is Friday already I think.
 
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You’re right that their FIFA ranking assures they’ll be in a group of death. They’re gonna wind up in pot 4 of the draw and have to play a top European and South American team. Unless they end up in the Qatar group.

The US has an outside shot of getting into pot 1 with a win over CR and if Portugal gets bounced by North Macedonia. But we’ll be solidly in pot 2 which should result in a decent draw. Serbia is the only pot 3 team that really scares me.

The draw is Friday already I think.
Pot 1: Qatar, Belgium, Brazil, France, Argentina, England, Spain and most likely Portugal.
Pot 2: U.S., Mexico, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Croatia and Uruguay.

You could see Netherlands or Germany bounce up to Pot 1 and push Portugal into Pot 2, but it's really unlikely that the U.S. would make that jump. To do it we'd need Portugal to lose to North Macedonia, and the Netherlands to draw or lose to Germany, and Mexico to draw or lose to El Salvador,

Seems strange to me that Qatar gets to be in Pot 1. I can see why they get the auto-bid into the Cup, but why Pot 1? They already have a huge home-field advantage. I'd rather see them slotted where they belong.
 

Pot 1: Qatar, Belgium, Brazil, France, Argentina, England, Spain and most likely Portugal.
Pot 2: U.S., Mexico, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Croatia and Uruguay.

You could see Netherlands or Germany bounce up to Pot 1 and push Portugal into Pot 2, but it's really unlikely that the U.S. would make that jump. To do it we'd need Portugal to lose to North Macedonia, and the Netherlands to draw or lose to Germany, and Mexico to draw or lose to El Salvador. Seems strange to me that Qatar gets to be in Pot 1. I can see why they get the auto-bid into the Cup, but why Pot 1? They already have the huge home-field advantage. I'd reather see them slotted where they belong.
Host is always in Pot 1.

In 2026, when the field is expanded and there will be 16 groups. The top 15 teams that aren't one of the 3 hosts will probably be in Pot 1.
 

You’re right that their FIFA ranking assures they’ll be in a group of death. They’re gonna wind up in pot 4 of the draw and have to play a top European and South American team. Unless they end up in the Qatar group.

The US has an outside shot of getting into pot 1 with a win over CR and if Portugal gets bounced by North Macedonia. But we’ll be solidly in pot 2 which should result in a decent draw. Serbia is the only pot 3 team that really scares me.

The draw is Friday already I think.
Agreed that Canada will be in a group of death, but that's partly because Canada will be in it as they will be one of the really strong pot 4 teams. It will be interesting to see how Canada does in the World Cup. This seems to be a special team and a team whose best players are relatively young. If Davies come back at full strength they could advance.

Even at 10 men they dominated Costa Rica in the second half.
 

I was flipping back and forth between a couple of events. every time I went back to the soccer match, Pulisic was scoring another goal, and I kept getting confused over whether this was a new goal or a replay. then I saw a buddy of my tweeting HAT TRICK and I figured it out.

nice response from the US squad.
 

Agreed that Canada will be in a group of death, but that's partly because Canada will be in it as they will be one of the really strong pot 4 teams. It will be interesting to see how Canada does in the World Cup. This seems to be a special team and a team whose best players are relatively young. If Davies come back at full strength they could advance.

Even at 10 men they dominated Costa Rica in the second half.
I think Canada can sneak into pot 3 if they win tonight and hop Tunisia. As a result of Wales continuing to have their games cancelled it sounds like Wales is going to be in Pot 4 which benefits Canada.
 

It's officially official! We also will be in Pot 2 to boot! Looking forward to Friday morning's draw
 

Canada had the door open to enter pot 3 but didn’t get it done, so they stay in 4.

Fingers crossed that USA gets the Qatar group! If they don’t get Qatar I’d like to see an England matchup.
 

Canada had the door open to enter pot 3 but didn’t get it done, so they stay in 4.

Fingers crossed that USA gets the Qatar group! If they don’t get Qatar I’d like to see an England matchup.
Would a tie have gotten them into pot 3? Canada scored relatively late and it was called back on a VAR review that was pretty spotty. Ah well, it is important to remember that this is the first time since 1986 that Canada has been in and even more crazy, this was the first time since 1998 that Canada even made the final stage of Concacaf qualifying. Hopefully they can surprise a little bit in Qatar.
 




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