The United States Men’s National Team qualifying for the World Cup right here in Orlando? A sea of purple seats engulfing a national celebration? Overcoming the trauma of Couva in 2017 and bringing American soccer back to the global stage live at Exploria Stadium? Sounds like a dream, right?
It just may happen this Sunday night.
With last night’s valuable point at the Estadio Azteca against Mexico in hand and Panama’s 1-1 draw with Honduras, the USMNT will almost assuredly clinch a top 3 place in the CONCACAF Octagonal and an automatic berth to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar with a victory on Sunday night against Panama at Exploria Stadium.
We say almost assuredly because if Costa Rica were to win in El Salvador, they could theoretically tie the United States on total points with a win in San Jose on Wednesday. However, the tiebreaker is goal difference, and the USMNT’s +9 dwarfs Costa Rica’s +2, meaning the Wednesday game would have to be a wipeout of epic proportions for the Americans not to go through.
If the U.S. wins and Costa Rica loses or draws, the World Cup berth is official. The USMNT can also get through on Sunday with a draw if Costa Rica loses to El Salvador.
It won’t be any sort of cakewalk for the Americans. Thanks to yellow card accumulation, the USMNT will be without Lille winger Tim Weah and Inter Miami right back DeAndre Yedlin. The latter is perhaps the more pressing loss, as the U.S.’ first and second-choice right backs, Barcelona’s Sergiño Dest and Boavista’s Reggie Cannon, are both unavailable.
The Americans will be led by Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna, who turned heads with a sensational solo run against Mexico and could be fit to start.
Panama is looking to return to the World Cup after a surprise third-place finish in the 2018 qualifying cycle. Striker Cecilio Waterman, who did not start against Honduras and should be fresh for Sunday, is fourth in the Octagonal with six goals in qualifying. Familiar MLS faces in the Panamanian squad include Nashville defensive midfielder Aníbal Godoy, Houston Dynamo midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, and former Red Bulls right back Michael Murillo.
