Crash, boom, bang goes Uncle Sam

NEW YORK: In one of the biggest upsets of this qualifying cycle, the US failed to reach the World Cup for the first time in more than 30 years and now face major questions over the progress of the sport.

A 2-1 defeat to an already eliminated Trinidad and Tobago meant the US finished an embarrassing fifth out of six teams in their Concacaf qualifying group.

Mexico topped the standings with Costa Rica in second place, while the third automatic spot went to Panama.

The impact of the US’s absence will be felt at broadcasters Fox, who take over coverage of the World Cup from ESPN from next year, and a host of sponsors who had been hoping for plenty of World Cup exposure.

But on a deeper level, the outcome raises a host of questions about whether American soccer truly is progressing.

The US reached the quarter-finals in 2002 and more recently impressed in Brazil four years ago by reaching the second round, finishing above Portugal in their group.

On the domestic front, the MLS has produced a stable league and has grown to 22 teams, many playing in new soccer specific stadiums.

“This is an utter embarrassment, with the amount of money that is in MLS and in this sport, you can’t get a draw against Trinidad? You don’t deserve to go to the World Cup” said former US striker Taylor Twellman, now a TV pundit for ESPN.

“If this failure does not wake up everyone from US Soccer (Federation) to MLS to ‘pay to play’ (youth soccer), to broadcasters, everything, then we are all insane.”

“That should never have happened with the billion dollars, plus that is going into MLS and youth soccer development but it did and every single person should look themselves in the mirror.” – Reuters