Phantom goal

If Fifa had spent as much money on goal-line technology as it splurges on self-indulgent meetings, the United States might be going to the World Cup. The Americans will be missing from next year’s tournament in Russia in part because of the lack of goal-line detection systems in Concacaf regional qualifying. Whatever the American failings during a shocking loss to Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday - and there were plenty - a lifeline could have been provided if Panama had not profited from a phantom goal against Costa Rica. Panama scored an equaliser that never crossed the line. A draw against Costa Rica would still have kept the United States on the path to Russia but the Central American nation went on to win 2-1. The United States is out and has no recourse for protest against its absence from a World Cup for the first time since 1986.