Advertisement

2018 World Cup: USA men's national team stunned by Trinidad and Tobago, will not qualify

By The Sports Xchange
In a stunning night of soccer, the U.S was shocked 2-1 at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad, by a Trinidad and Tobago team that had nothing to play. Meanwhile, both Honduras and Panama won their matches. Photo courtesy of U.S. Soccer/Twitter
In a stunning night of soccer, the U.S was shocked 2-1 at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad, by a Trinidad and Tobago team that had nothing to play. Meanwhile, both Honduras and Panama won their matches. Photo courtesy of U.S. Soccer/Twitter

The United States men's national team is not going to the 2018 World Cup.

In a stunning night of soccer, the U.S was shocked 2-1 at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad, by a Trinidad and Tobago team that had nothing to play. Meanwhile, both Honduras and Panama won their matches.

Advertisement

As result, the U.S. (3-4-3) finished fifth of six teams in the 10-match final round of CONCACAF qualifying with 12 points.

Honduras, a 3-2 winner over Mexico, moved up to fourth with 13 points and will be in a playoff with Australia. Panama defeated Costa Rica 2-1 to also finish with 13 points but earned the final automatic CONCACAF qualifying spot for Russia next year on a tiebreaker.

First-place Mexico and runner-up Costa Rica had already qualified before the Tuesday games.

The U.S. entered the final match in third but will not qualify for a World Cup for the first time since 1986.

Trinidad and Tobago went ahead 2-0 in the first half an own goal and a score from Alvin Jones before Christian Pulisic pulled the U.S. to within one in the 47th minute.

Advertisement

Pulisic gave the U.S. life in with his shot from 21 yards that beat goalkeeper Adrian Foncette. The 19-year-old midfielder recorded a goal or an assist on 12 of the 17 USA goals in the final qualifying round.

Foncette preserved the lead with a save on Benny Feilhaber in the 88th minute.

Trinidad (2-8-0) stunned the U.S. in the 17th minute with an own goal off the shin off America defender Omar Gonzalez from a cross by Jones. Twenty minutes later, Jones scored on a brilliant long strike from 35 yards to make it 2-0.

On the first goal, he sent a cross from the left flank into the box for Shahdon Winchester. Gonzalez went in for the clearance, had the ball bounce off him and saw it flip over goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Latest Headlines