It’s time to say goodbye to the 2017 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying cycle one way or the other. Sure, one team will end up in 4th-place and have to play Australia in a November playoff, but for everybody else tonight is it. No more wondering if the old “win at home, draw on the road” script is flipped. No more concerns over trying to figure out a way to scrounge points over a decreasing number of games. All that matters is a top three finish.
As we’ve heard in stereo and on repeat since Friday’s win over Panama, the USMNT is in position to handle their business. That means a final Hexagonal game that counts.
The run-up to Trinidad & Tobago vs USMNT (8pm ET – beIN Sport) turned into a discussion of field conditions. The Trinidad & Tobago Football Association wasn’t at all happy with the USMNT making a big deal of the flooded track at Ato Boldon Stadium. Fortunately, repots from last night showed a track rather than a pond. Still, Trinidad & Tobago potentially solving their waterlogged field issue didn’t help the USMNT’s training session yesterday. We can mark that down as CONCACAF being CONCACAF, but should we?
The diplomatic Bruce Arena: “Conditions weren’t sterling for training but we’re anticipating that everything will work out” #usmnt
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) October 9, 2017
SI.com’s Grant Wahl previews Trinidad & Tobago vs USMNT. The NY Times’ Andrew Das on gamesmanship in CONCACAF and what that type of physical play is doing to Christian Pulisic. Pro Soccer Talk’s Daniel Karell previews the rest of CONCACAF on the final night of the Hexagonal.
The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson on Argentina’s last ditch effort to qualify tonight against Ecuador. BBC Sport has an attempt to explain the economics of promotion to the Premier League.
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