Socceroos vs Honduras, CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers: USA disaster vs Trinidad and Tobago
SOCCEROOS
October 11, 2017 12:57pm
Honduras' Alberth Elis (L) and Eddie Hernandez celebrate after scoring against Mexico.Source: AFPAUSTRALIA vs Honduras: The Socceroos’ World Cup play-off fate has just been decided in an insane finish to CONCACAF qualifying that saw the USA eliminated in a dismal loss to minnow Trinidad and Tobago.
Ange Postecoglou’s men will face Honduras in a two-leg play-off next month after a stunning final fixture in CONCACAF’s six-team deciding stage.
USA lost 2-1, Panama lept to third and an automatic qualifying spot by beating second-placed Costa Rica 2-1, while Honduras upset first-placed Mexico 3-2 to seal the half-qualifying fourth spot vs Australia.
Worldie goal knocks out USA0:43
Romell Quioto score the decisive goal for Honduras on 60 minutes, after the Central American nation equalised twice. Oribe Peralta opened the scoring for Mexico, Alberth Elis equalised, then Carlos Vela restored Mexico’s lead before an own goal from Guillermo Ochoa.
USA missed out by a single point and would have progressed automatically in third spot on goal difference had it not failed to snare a draw with Trinidad and Tobago.
Omar Gonzalez conceded an own goal for USA in the 17th minute, before Alvin Jones struck an amazing goal for what proved to be the winner. A second-half goal for USA wonderkid Christian Pulisic proved to be in vain.
Mexico's ricochet own goal0:31
The Socceroos overcame Syria 3-2 on aggregate after extra time on Tuesday night in Sydney.
The confirmed play-off tie comes after a Postocoglou bombshell rocked Australian football, with the coach reportedly set to quit his post before the World Cup, regardless of the play-off outcome.
Messi bags WCQ hat-trick1:11
Australia’s World Cup play-off is over two legs in a home and away series November 6 and 14. It has been confirmed that the second leg will be in Australia, in Sydney, at ANZ Stadium.
Panama's Roman Torres takes a picture of his team's fansSource: AFP
Panama's Luis Ovalle celebrates his team's 2-1 victory over Costa RicaSource: AP
Supporters of Panama celebrate after their team defeats Costa RicaSource: AFP
Panama's Roman Torres celebrates after scoring against Costa RicaSource: AFPQUALIFICATION STANDINGS
P W D L GD PTS
1. Mexico 9 6 3 0 +9 21
2. Costa Rica 10 4 4 2 +6 16
3. Panama 10 3 4 3 -1 13
4. Honduras 10 3 4 3 -6 13
5. US 10 3 3 4 +4 12
6. Trinidad and Tobago 10 2 0 8 -12 6
Honduras' players overjoyed.Source: AFP
Honduras' Romell Quioto (C) celebrates with teammatesSource: AFPThe United States was eliminated from World Cup contention after a shocking loss at Trinidad ending the Americans’ streak of seven straight appearances at soccer’s showcase.
Twenty-eight years after a stunning victory here put the Americans back in the World Cup following a four-decade absence, their chances for next year’s tournament in Russia ended on this island nation off the coast of Venezuela.
Trinidad and Tobago scored a pair of first-half goals, and the United States was eliminated with a 2-1 defeat - its first time missing the World Cup since 1986.
Shocked American players slumped on the bench, and Matt Besler sat on the field after the final whistle as Panama’s game ended and then Costa Rica’s.
At the end, dejected U.S. players filed into their locker rooms with blank looks. The U.S. entered its final qualifier with a berth uncertain for the first time since 1989. Home losses to Mexico last November and Costa Rica left the Americans little margin for error.
Trinidad and Tobago's Shahdon Winchester celebratesSource: APThe 28th-ranked Americans needed merely a tie against 99th-ranked Trinidad, which lost its sixth straight qualifier last week. But the defeat - coupled with Honduras’ come-from-behind 3-2 win over Mexico and Panama’s 2-1 victory over Costa Rica on Ramon Torres’ 88th-minute goal - dropped the Americans from third place into fifth in the six-nation final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region.
Missing the World Cup is a devastating blow to the U.S. Soccer Federation, which has steadily built the sport in the last quarter-century with the help of sponsors and television partners. It also is a trauma for Fox, which broadcasts the next three World Cups after taking the U.S. rights from ESPN. The USSF hopes to co-host the 2026 tournament with Mexico and Canada, and Morocco is the only other bidder.
United States' Matt Besler, squats on the pitch after losing 2-1 against Trinidad and TobagoSource: APAfter an 0-2 start in the hexagonal last fall under Jurgen Klinsmann, the USSF replaced him last November with Bruce Arena, the American coach from 1998-2006. The team revived with home wins over Honduras and Trinidad last spring and draws at Panama and Mexico. But the 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica in New Jersey at the start of Labor Day weekend proved one hurdle too many to overcome.
“No excuses for us not getting the second goal and at least a point,” Arena said. “It’s a blemish for us.”
The Americans fell behind in the 17th minute when defender Omar Gonzalez made a casual attempt with his left foot to clear Alvin Jones’ cross and sent the ball looping over the outstretched right arm of goalkeeper Tim Howard from 18 yards. Jones doubled the lead in the 37th with a 35-yard strike, again to Howard’s upper right corner, and nearly scored another in the 44th when his swerving shot bounced off Howard’s chest and spilled into the penalty area.
United States' Christian Pulisic, left, fight for the ball with Trinidad and Tobago's Nathan LewisSource: APChristian Pulisic, the Americans’ 19-year-old star midfielder, scored in the 47th minute from the arc with a right-footed shot. He played a role in 12 of the 17 Americans goals in the hexagonal.
One minute later, Howard made a kick save on Shahdon Winchester’s short-range shot, and DeAndre Yedlin blocked Levi Garcia’s follow-up attempt. The U.S. bench was tense, as Honduras scored twice early in the second half to take the lead over visiting Mexico in the 60th minute and Panama tied the score against visiting Costa Rica in the 52nd.
Clint Dempsey, who entered at the start of the second half, was denied by goalkeeper Adrian Foncette’s leaping save in the 69th and hit a post from 22 yards in the 77th. Pulisic’s shot in the 87th was saved by Foncette. All American reserves were standing for much of the final minutes, and Arena had repeated exasperated looks.
Just a few hundred fans were in the stands at 10,000-capacity Ato Boldon Stadium, located 24 miles south of the capital, Port-of-Spain. Paul Caligiuri’s famous goal at the National Stadium in 1989 put the U.S. in the World Cup for the first time since 1950.
Among the spectators were a few dozen American Outlaws, the U.S. supporters group.
Water that had flooded the track surrounding the field ahead of the U.S. training session Monday was gone.
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