The US and the 2018 World Cup
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:23 pm
(Incidentally, the World Cup is still going to be held in Russia, despite FIFA's proven corruption.)
What are their chances? Would they do better to play their women's team?
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-socce ... SKBN13F0PQ
What are their chances? Would they do better to play their women's team?
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-socce ... SKBN13F0PQ
United States coach Juergen Klinsmann remains "1,000 percent sure" his side will qualify for the 2018 World Cup despite a 4-0 rout at Costa Rica last week.
He even has the support of President Barack Obama, the coach told a gala dinner in Berlin.
In an interview with Reuters, Klinsmann said he was disappointed "and even angry" that his team had lost their first two World Cup qualifiers in the space of five days, having let in a late goal against the run of play to lose 2-1 at home to Mexico.
But he added that the team had played well at times during 2016 and would bounce back and win at least 15 points from the 24 available in the next eight qualifying games, which should enable the U.S. to qualify from the CONCACAF region.
The top three of the six teams go through, with the fourth-placed country going into a playoff against a team from Asia. The U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago are both pointless after two games...
...With 12 wins, six losses and one draw, he felt 2016 had been a solid year -- "except for the finish" -- and called the U.S. team's wins against Costa Rica, Paraguay, Ecuador at the Copa America to reach the last four a seminal moment for U.S. soccer.
"We had a maturing process at the Copa America that was outstanding," he said. "We wanted to have younger players becoming more powerful and confident and got that. There is a real dynamic going on with players like Bobby Wood, John Brooks, Jordan Morris and Christian Pulisic."