The US national team didn't qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, failing to earn one of Concacaf's three automatic bids -- claimed by Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama -- or entry into the playoff against Asia's fifth-place finisher (Australia), which Honduras lost, 3-1, on aggregate.
Heading into the final day of The Hex, the USMNT stood to claim at least a spot in the playoff with a draw at Trinidad & Tobago. Their 2-1 defeat combined with a pair of additional results -- Panama's victory over Costa Rica and Honduras over Mexico -- to drop the U.S. from third place to fifth, eliminating them from World Cup competition for the cycle. The exact combination (a US loss and Panama/Costa Rica wins) was the only one of 27 potential outcomes that could oust the US altogether, and it did.
Fifth & Final Round (Hexagonal)
PTS |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<a href="/meta/club/mexico">Mexico</a> - x |
21 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
16 |
7 |
+9 |
<a href="/meta/club/costa-rica">Costa Rica</a> - x |
16 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
14 |
8 |
+6 |
<a href="/meta/club/panama">Panama</a> - x |
13 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
10 |
-1 |
<a href="/meta/club/honduras">Honduras</a> - y |
13 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
13 |
19 |
-6 |
<a href="/meta/club/united-states">United States</a> |
12 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
17 |
13 |
+4 |
Trinidad & Tobago |
6 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
7 |
19 |
-12 |
x - Qualified for 2018 FIFA World Cup
y - Qualified for intercontinental playoff vs. Asian runners-up (Australia)
