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SPORTS Thursday 12 OcTOber 2017

U.S. misses World Cup for 1st time since 1986 with loss

By RONALD BLUM the 2026 tournament with
AP Sports Writer Mexico and Canada, and
COUVA, Trinidad (AP) — Morocco is the only other
Twenty-eight years after bidder.
the United States ended “Every time you have a set-
a four-decade World Cup back you have to look at
absence with a stunning things, re-evaluate and get
victory at Trinidad, the better,” 38-year-old goal-
Americans’ chances for keeper Tim Howard said.
the 2018 tournament in “And as a program we
Russia ended on this island have to get better. This hex
nation off the coast of Ven- proved that. There’s some
ezuela in even more aston- good teams on the up and
ishing fashion. up and we’ve got our work
Needing only a tie and cut out for us.”
confident of victory against Arena left his lineup un-
the world’s 99th-ranked changed from Friday’s 4-0
team, the U.S. was elimi- rout of Panama in Florida,
nated from World Cup con- but the Americans couldn’t
tention Tuesday night with United States’ Matt Besler, squats on the pitch after losing 2-1 against Trinidad and Tobago during generate the needed en-
a 2-1 loss to Trinidad and a 2018 World Cup qualifying soccer match in Couva, Trinidad, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. ergy and emotion.
Tobago that ended a run Associated Press “Our center backs were not
of seven straight American playoff next month against American players were not error. confident enough with the
appearances at soccer’s Australia. aware of the scores of the Shocked American players ball and really often in the
showcase. Panama trailed 1-0 to Cos- other games until after the slumped on the bench, and first half we were playing
“We let down an entire na- ta Rica at halftime and final whistle. center back Matt Besler sat eight against 10 because
tion today,” said defender Honduras was behind 2-1 “When I looked over at the on the field after the final they really need to carry
Omar Gonzalez, whose to Mexico, but both rallied bench and everyone was whistle as Panama’s game the ball and bring a player
17th-minute own goal start- against nations that al- sitting down,” Gonzalez ended and then Costa Ri- to the ball and then move
ed the collapse. ready had clinched berths. said, “I could just see from ca’s. Dejected U.S. players it a little quicker,” he said.
Gonzalez casually tried to Gabriel Torres scored for the looks on their faces that filed into their locker rooms “Our forwards were not
clear Alvin Jones’ cross and Panama in the 52nd minute it wasn’t good.” with blank looks. able to hold the ball. They
sent it looping from 15 yards on a shot that did not ap- Back in 1989, Trinidad need- “You can go around in did a poor job there. We
over the outstretched right pear to cross the goal line, ed merely a tie to reach its circles a million times over didn’t get Pulisic into the
arm of Tim Howard. Jones and Honduras went ahead first World Cup, but Paul again, but the reality is that game. We played poorly.
doubled the deal in the on Guillermo Ochoa’s own Caligiuri’s long-range goal it was all there for us and The first goal was unfortu-
37th minute with a 35-yard goal in the 54th and Romell in the 30th minute put the we have nobody to blame nate. Those things happen.
strike. Quioto’s goal in the 60th. U.S. in the tournament for but ourselves,” U.S. captain The second goal was an
Christian Pulisic, the Ameri- At that point, the 28th- the first time since 1950. Michael Bradley said. incredible shot. What can
cas’ rising 19-year-old star, ranked Americans were That game was played be- Arena, a 66-year-old mem- you say?”
scored in the 47th minute, playoff bound, but Roman fore a crowd of 35,000-plus ber of the U.S. National Soc- Gonzalez said Jones’ cross
giving the U.S. hope. Torres scored in the 88th at National Stadium in the cer Hall of Fame, agreed struck his left shin as he tried
Clint Dempsey, at 34 try- minute to give Panama a capital of Port-of-Spain. with his usual bluntness. to prevent it from reaching
ing to make it to a fourth 2-1 win, a third-place finish With Trinidad already elimi- “We foolishly brought Trini- Shahdon Winchester.
World Cup, entered at the with 13 points and its first nated, this one drew a few dad into the game with the “One of the most unlucky
start of the second half and World Cup berth. Honduras hundred fans at Ato Bold- own goal,” the coach said. goals ever,” Gonzalez said.
was denied by goalkeeper finished fourth on goal dif- on Stadium, 24 miles to the “That was a big goal for “It is one that will haunt me
Adrian Foncette’s leaping ference and goes to the south. Trinidad psychologically. forever. ... I never thought
save in the 69th and hit a playoff. The U.S. entered its final That got them motivated.” that I’d see this day. This
post from 22 yards in the The Americans, who would qualifier with a berth un- Missing the World Cup is a is the worst day of my ca-
77th. Bobby Wood’s head- have qualified with 13 certain for the first time devastating blow to the reer.”
er in the 88th was sent wide points because of a supe- since 1989. Home losses USSF, which has steadily USSF President Sunil Gulati
by Foncette. rior goal difference, instead to Mexico last November built the sport in the last said the result felt unreal.
Even a defeat could have had 12 points and finished and Costa Rica caused the quarter-century with the “It’s a huge disappoint-
earned a berth, but only fifth in the hexagonal. U.S. Soccer Federation to help of sponsors and tele- ment for everybody: for
if Panama and Honduras “It’s a blemish for us,” fire Jurgen Klinsmann and vision partners. It also is players, for the staff, for
both lost. And if the U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. bring back Arena, the U.S. a trauma for Fox, which coaches, for the federa-
and only one of those rivals “We should not be staying coach from 1998-2006. But broadcasts the next three tion,” Gulati said. “It’s not
were beaten, the Ameri- home for this World Cup after a loss to Costa Rica World Cups after taking good enough, obviously. In
cans would have finished and I take the responsibility in New Jersey last month, the U.S. rights from ESPN. some sense, 2022 starts to-
fourth and advanced to a for that.” there was little margin for The USSF hopes to co-host morrow for us.”q