Needing just a point to get a place in the 2018 World Cup, the United States suffered one of the most embarrassing losses in men’s national team history on Tuesday at Trinidad and Tobago.
A pair of first half goals put Bruce Arena’s unchanged XI behind the 8-ball, and only Christian Pulisic could muster a goal in the second half as the Yanks lost 2-1 at Ato Boldon Stadium.
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Panama and Honduras both won, sending the United States out of the World Cup.
An early offside was spotted by the linesman and deprived Trinidad and Tobago a shock opener from Shahdon Winchester.
Paul Arriola was fouled, but advantage was played as DeAndre Yedlin raced onto the ball and cued up Jozy Altidore for a shot that cleared the cross bar by a few feet.
The U.S. went behind when Tim Howard fooled by Alvin Jones’ cross that Gonzalez turned into his own goal.
And Jones got a goal of his own, and my was it a beautiful one. Joevin’s little brother found himself in a backyard or two’s worth of space and tore into a shot that rocketed side netting to make it 2-0.
When the U.S. needed a strong first half the most, it puked.
Which US player had the best half? Weston McKennie, Lynden Gooch or Josh Sargent?
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) October 11, 2017
Pulisic then opened the door for the U.S., curling a beauty inside the side netting from 20 yards in the 47th minute.
But the Yanks, led by a Michael Bradley stab tackle, let T&T race to the doorstep. Tim Howard made a save and DeAndre Yedlin blocked a rebound effort.
A Bradley free kick from his office on the flank was headed over the frame by Altidore.
Bradley played his next free kick square to substitute Clint Dempsey, but Adrian Foncette pushed his shot out for a corner which came to nothing.
Dempsey hit the far post with a 20-yard shot in the 77th minute. Nagbe won a corner in the 81st, but it came to nothing.
Another sub, Benny Feilhaber, nearly headed home an equalizer off Pulisic’s cross, but Foncette’s pushed it away for a corner.