U.S. facing some pressure in World Cup qualifying match
The U.S. has little margin for a stumble at home in World Cup qualifying.
With a victory over Honduras on Wednesday night in brutal cold at St. Paul, Minnesota, the Americans could be in position to clinch a return to soccer’s showcase if they beat Panama on March 27 at Orlando, Florida.
A defeat or draw in either home game would put the U.S. in danger of missing its second straight World Cup.
“Our focus right now is finishing off the window with a win,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said after Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Canada. “If we can do that, we’ll be in good position, and then it’s about going to the last window and getting results, and we’re confident we have a team that can do that.”
Canada leads North and Central America and the Caribbean with 22 points and the U.S is second with 18, ahead of Mexico on goal difference. Panama is fourth with 17, followed by Costa Rica (13), El Salvador (nine), Jamaica (seven) and Honduras (three).
The top three nations qualify for this year’s tournament in Qatar, and fourth place advances to a playoff against the Oceania champion, likely New Zealand.
Winning road games in the region has been a difficult task for the Americans, who have lost at Panama and Canada, tied at El Salvador and Jamaica, and won at last-place Honduras. They’ve been blanked three times and scored five goals in five road games, four of the goals at Honduras.
At home, the U.S. opened with a draw against Canada and followed with victories over Jamaica, Costa Rica, Mexico and El Salvador.
If the Americans sweep their final two home games, they would clinch no worse than third if Mexico defeats Panama on Wednesday night and Costa Rica doesn’t beat Jamaica on Wednesday and then Canada and El Salvador in its first two March games.
But failing to get six points from those home games would create immense pressure when they play March 24 at Mexico and six days later at Costa Rica.
Men’s basketball
FRESHMEN LEAD NO. 9 DUKE TO ROUT OF IRISH » Freshman Paolo Banchero scored 21 points, fellow classmate A.J. Griffin added 13 and each had a team-high nine rebounds as No. 9 Duke (18-3, 8-2 ACC) handed Notre Dame (14-7, 7-3) its first home loss of the season in a 57-43 Atlantic Coast Conference rout.
AUBURN REMAINS NO. 1 FOR A SECOND WEEK » Auburn keeps winning, Kentucky is rising and that has the Southeastern Conference putting its imprint atop this week’s The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.
The Tigers earned 49 of 61 firstplace votes in the new poll to extend the program’s first stay at No. 1 for a second straight week, while John Calipari’s Wildcats rose to No. 5.
Gonzaga remained at No. 2 and earned the other 12 first-place votes. UCLA (16-2) climbed to No. 3, followed by Purdue.
Women’s basketball
MICHIGAN EARNS HIGHEST RANKING EVER » Michigan moved up one spot to sixth in the AP women’s poll, the team’s highest ranking ever. Then it went out and routed No. 5 Indiana, 65-50, later Monday.
South Carolina remained the No. 1 team in the poll, garnering 29 of the 30 first-place votes from a national media panel after beating Vanderbilt, then-No. 24 Mississippi and Florida. Third-ranked North Carolina State received the other top vote. Stanford stayed at No. 2.
HORSTON KEYS TENNESSEE’S OT WIN OVER ARKANSAS » Jordan Horston scored 24 points, including the last three in overtime, to lead No. 7 Tennessee (19-2, 7-1 SEC) in a come-frombehind 86-83 victory over Arkansas (14-7, 4-4).
Baseball
MLB LOCKOUT TALKS TO RESUME TODAY » Baseball labor negotiations are set to resume today, just over two weeks before the scheduled start of a spring training that’s threatened by a lockout.
The sport’s ninth work stoppage began Dec. 2 after the expiration of a five-year labor contract, and the sides did not meet again on the central economic issues until Jan. 24, when players withdrew their proposal for more liberalized free agency.
Management responded the following day by withdrawing its proposal for more limited salary arbitration. Clubs also accepted the union’s framework to funnel additional money to pre-arbitration-eligible players from central revenue, offering a $10 million pool based on awards and WAR. The union has asked for $105 million for the group, usually about 30 players annually.
Today’s session will be the first on the central issues since then, and the sides don’t agree on many economic proposals, leaving little time to end the lockout and avoid disrupting the Feb. 16 scheduled start of spring training. Players would need several days to travel to team complexes in Arizona and Florida, plus time to go through COVID-19 protocols. EX-METS RELIEVER INNIS DIES OF CANCER AT 59 » Jeff Innis, a side-arming reliever who pitched for the New York Mets from 1987-93, died Sunday. He was 59.
Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said Innis died in Dawnsonville, Georgia, of cancer, according to Innis’ son, Keenan.
Innis made 288 appearances for the Mets. The right-hander finished 10-20 with a 3.05 ERA, striking out 192 and walking 121 in 360 innings.
Tennis
DEL POTRO RETURNING TO TOUR AFTER 2 1⁄2 YEARS » Former U.S. Open champion Juan Martín del Potro accepted wild cards to play two clay court tournaments after 2 1/2 years recovering from a knee injury.
Organizers of the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires starting next week said the 33-year-old del Potro has entered. He will also feature at the Rio Open in Rio de Janeiro the following week.
Del Potro has won 22 singles titles, including the 2009 U.S. Open.