Orlando, Florida. There are two games left in World Cup qualifiers, and the United States is heading into a match against Panama in Orlando, knowing that winning the last home game will be key before reaching the final.
Sounds familiar?
In October 2017, the United States defeated the Panamanians 4-0 when Christian Pulisic scored the first goal and scored the second. Four days later, the Americans drew, and the Americans were defeated by Trinidad and Tobago with a score of 2: 1, which was the lowest figure in American football, which stopped a series of seven World Cup matches in a row.
“Every game comes with pressure, different pressure, and of course we feel it,” goalkeeper Zach Stephen said on Saturday. “We are aware of the emotions, our emotions that are part of it, and it’s just about putting them in the background and going out and playing a game we’ve been playing all our lives.”
Canada leads in North and Central America and the Caribbean with 25 points, while the United States is in second place with 22, ahead of Mexico in goal difference. Costa Rica is third out of 19 and Panama is fourth out of 18. The top three countries qualify for this year’s World Cup, and fourth place goes to the playoffs against the champion of Oceania, probably New Zealand.
The U.S. will win Sunday with a win, and Costa Rica won’t win over El Salvador, or with a draw if Ticas loses. A draw in the US would guarantee no worse than a place in the playoffs.
With a margin of plus nine goals to plus-2 in Costa Rica, the win will allow the US to head to Costa Rica, the maximum to avoid a one-sided defeat.
“It’s really important not to get ahead of yourself,” said American coach Greg Berhalter. “I know there are similarities with last time, but we look forward to it. I don’t think it’s a band looking back. We recognize what was in the past. It’s part of who we are as players of the U.S. men’s national team and program. We admit it, but we have to pave our own path, and tomorrow is a good time for that. “
Goalkeeper Matt Turner, right-back Sergina Dest, center-back Chris Richards and midfielders Weston McKenney and Brenden Aaranson have been injured, reserve right-back DeAndre Yodlin and winger Tim Wea dismissed for accumulating yellow cards, and 3 right-back .
Shaq Moore was brought from Spain to meet the team in Orlando, and most likely started with a right-back.
The U.S. came out Thursday with a 0-0 draw against Mexico at the height of Mexico when the Americans had a better chance. The United States followed the emotional high of a home win over El Tri in November with a 1-1 win in Jamaica.
“It was a completely different atmosphere and we knew it was going to be a tough game, an ugly game and what we needed to go through,” Stephen said. “This time, I think getting a point at Azteca, all the energy and emotion expressed there, we didn’t go up too high, we didn’t go down too low. I’m going back to Orlando, where we’re all focused, just to stay in the moment. ”
On Thursday, Panama drew 1-1 at home against Honduras. Roland Blackburn’s goal in the 23rd minute, his fourth in qualifying, matched Kevin Lopez’s score in the 65th minute.
When the U.S. left for Panama in October, Berhalter changed seven starting points after a home win over Costa Rica three days earlier. Panama won 1-0 when Anibal Gadoy headed Eric Davis with a corner kick in the 54th minute past Turner. The U.S. won 8-5, including 4-0 for goal kicks, and started just one possession in a third of the attack.
In other previous second qualifying games, the U.S. drew 1-1, away to Canada, lost to Canada 2-0 and drew with Jamaica.
“I’m not sure it’s a big enough sample to really judge,” Berhalter said. “It’s a big challenge.”
Berhalter used 38 players in 12 matches, playing among the Americans in second place in the qualifying round after 43 in 18 matches before the 2018 tournament. Players returning for a two-day vacation had little time to recover.
“We put a lot of energy into great altitude, field and travel. But I think we are all in a good place, ”Stefan said. “We did a good job of recovering, regaining the body and regaining the mind.”
