To those who were born during the 1990s, watching the World Cup without the USMNT is something they haven't experienced. Nevertheless, that possibility could turn out to become a reality in the next couple of months, as Bruce Arena's crew could miss out on football's most relevat tournament for the first time since the 1990 edition.
With two crucial ties ahead, The Yanks have failed to bounce back after a baffling start of the Qualifiers, and watching the 2018 WC on their flat screens could be the sad conclusion to the international career of some of their finest footballers ever.
This is how the standings in the CONCACAF WCQ look like after eight games.
How does this round compare to USA's previous WC campaigns?
As we said before, this is by far the worst final round ever played by the USMNT since the World Cup berths are awarded via a six-team tournament. In 1998, Mexico narrowly beat the Stars & Stripes by a one-point margin after ten games, with Steve Sampson's crew losing only one game.
During the 2002 Qualifiers, the USMNT dominated the first half of the competition, but a fierce reaction from Costa Rica and Mexico saw the Stars & Stripes drop from first to third place in the final game. For the 2006 edition, the Yanks ended the Qualifiers tied with Mexico at 22 points, earning their spot in the competition with three games to be played.
The next WCQ saw the Americans emerging as the dominant force in CONCACAF, securing their spot in the competition with 20 (2010) and 22 points (2014) respectively. In those 20 games, the USMNT lost 4 games, compared to the three games lost in the ongoing qualifiers.
Needless to say, having to go through the playoff stage would be a major step backwards in football's development in this country, as they have never needed extra games to secure their spot in the World Cup.
Matchday 9 could be crucial for Arena's World Cup hopes
Ranked 4th in the CONCACAF WCQ, the Yanks' upcoming clash against Panama will be a do-or-die match. Los Canaleros have been a thorn in the USMNT's side for quite some time, as recent meetings between these teams have ended with shameful results for the Americans, including a PK loss in the 2015 Gold Cup. Walking out of that game without 3 points could be catastrophic for Arena's men, especially if Honduras can beat Costa Rica.
Who could the USMNT face in the playoff stage?
Contrary to previous WC playoffs, CONCACAF's team playing that stage will be forced to play against a team from the Asian Football Confederation, and there are two teams fighting for that playoff spot: Australia and Syria. The Socceroos could represent a bigger challenge due to their experience, but political reasons could be even more motivational for the Syrian team to pull off a shocking result against the Americans.
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