U.S. has chance for World Cup berth
With two games left in World Cup qualifying, the United States heads into a showdown against Panama in Orlando on Sunday (7 p.m., FS1) knowing that winning the last home match will be key before going on the road for the finale. Sound familiar?
The U.S. romped over the Panamanians 4-0 in October 2017 as Christian Pulisic scored the first goal and set up the second. Needing only a draw four days later, the Americans flopped to a 2-1 defeat at Trinidad and Tobago, a nadir in American soccer that ended a streak of seven straight World Cup appearances.
“Every game comes with pressure, different pressure, and, of course, we feel it,” goalkeeper Zack Steffen said Saturday. “We’re aware of the emotions, of our emotions going into it, and it’s just about kind of putting those on the backburner and going out there and playing the game that we’ve been playing for our whole lives.”
Canada leads North and Central America and the
Caribbean with 25 points and the U.S. is second with 22, ahead of Mexico on goal difference. Costa Rica is third with 19, and Panama fourth with 18. The top three nations qualify for this year’s World Cup, and fourth place advances to a playoff against the Oceania champion, likely New Zealand.
The U.S. would clinch Sunday with a victory and Costa Rica failing to win at El Salvador, or with a draw if the Ticos lose. A U.S. draw would guarantee no worse than the playoff spot.
With a plus-nine goal difference to Costa Rica’s plus-two, a win would put the U.S. in position to head to Costa Rica at most needing to avoid a lopsided defeat.
“It’s really important not to get ahead of ourselves,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said. “I know there are similarities to last time, but we’re looking forward. I don’t think this is a group that looks back. We acknowledge what happened in the past. It’s part of who we are as U.S. men’s national team players and program. We acknowledge that, but we have to forge our own path, and tomorrow’s a good time to do it.”
Goalkeeper Matt Turner, right back Sergino Dest, central defender
Chris Richards and midfielders Weston McKennie and Brenden Aaronson are injured, backup right back DeAndre Yedlin and winger Tim Weah are suspended for yellow-card accumulation and No. 3 right back Reggie Cannon is out with COVID-19.
The U.S. is coming off Thursday’s 0-0 draw against Mexico at altitude in Mexico City, when the Americans had the better chances. The U.S. followed the emotional high of a home win over El Tri in November with a bumpy 1-1 draw at Jamaica.
Elsewhere: Harry Kane moved level with
Bobby Charlton in second place on the all-time England men’s scoring chart by slotting a penalty to seal a 2-1 victory against Switzerland in a friendly. The captain’s 49th goal in 69 appearances for his country leaves him only four from leveling with the retired Wayne Rooney . ...
Christian Eriksen scored moments after entering as a substitute for Denmark against the Netherlands to
Amake a dream return in his first international match since his cardiac arrest during the European Championship in June.
ETC.
College football:
Dave Nichol, a new assistant and longtime college receivers coach who just joined the University of Southern California’s staff in December, died Friday, the school announced. He was 45. Nichol had been battling cancer, a person familiar with his situation told the Los Angeles Times.
Figure skating:Olympic bronze medalist Shoma Uno concluded a dominant performance at the figure skating world championships in Montpellier, France, by winning the gold medal, while
Vincent Zhou of the U.S. used a strong free skate to catapult from sixth after his short program to earn the bronze medal. Uno finished with 312.48 points to easily outdistance Yuma Kagiyama, who finished second to his Japanese teammate in both the short program and free skate. Kagiyama had 297.60 points while Zhou finished with 277.38.
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