Americans in desperate need of win against Panama

ORLANDO, FLA. » There are almost endless permutations, enough to make a mathematician’s head spin, of how the U. S. men’s national soccer team could qualify for the World Cup by late Tuesday night.

Input the possible results in these last two U. S. matches, then forecast the scores of the other group games. Don’t forget to factor goal differential and total scoring over the 11-month competition involving six nations.

Check the data. Check it again.

Or the Americans could avoid the maddening numbers and use the simplest math equation available to them: 3 + 3 = 2018.

With three points against Panama on Friday in Orlando, Florida, and another three in Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, the Americans wouldn’t have to sweat out the other statisticalmutations.

No supercomputer necessary, for they will have secured passage to the 2018 tournament in Russia.

“Win the game,” coach Bruce Arena said. “That’s the message to them. Win the game. We have no excuses. We’re not depending on other teams to help us. We’re depending on ourselves.”

The United States has been living dangerously since last fall, when it lost the first two matches in CONCACAF’s final qualifying round.

The Americans find themselves with almost no room for error. Mexico (50- 3) has clinched. Costa Rica (4-1-3) is on the verge. The United States (2- 33) sits one point behind third-place Panama (2-2- 4), which, with a victory Friday, could advance to the World Cup for the first time.

Honduras (2-2-3) also remains in the running despite a terrible goal differential, the first tiebreaker.

With a draw, the United States would have to beat Trinidad and Tobago (1-70) and pray for help in perhaps both other matches Tuesday. The fourth-place finisher will enter a travelheavy, two-leg playoff next month against Australia or Syria.

“It’s a big occasion,” Arena said Thursday. “I don’t think I need to lecture our players on the significance of the game; I think they understand that.”

The weight of the Panama match has not been lost on the players.

“We need three points bad,” said Christian Pulisic, the 19-year- old attacker who has become critical to the U.S. attack.

The past four meetings with Panama have ended in 1-1 draws.