Holy Shit - Trinidad and Tobago just knocked the US out of the World Cup

[malaise]

in Russia. T&T was already eliminated - US players are crying on the field. Wow!

[HipChick]

1. Sorry Malaise..

but I was rooting for Ireland anyway...US played like crap

[malaise]

2. Look Jamaica was knocked out ages ago

I had no horse in this race. T&T was already out. Yep I wondered if they wanted to go to Russia

[HipChick]

5. I did wonder that too...

[HipChick]

14. England qualified....I guess I could root for them..

[malaise]

45. Who roots for England?

Ha! Check this out
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/oct/11/usa-world-cup-2018-qualifying-soccer-football
<snip>
The worst defeat in the history of the United States national team, the record will show, played out over an hour and a half on a sweltering weeknight before a few hundred spectators at Ato Boldon Stadium, confines so modest even its namesake questioned why it was chosen for a World Cup qualifier, and ended with the Americans walking off in a soft parade of stunned silence and thousand-yard stares.

But truthfully Tuesday night’s loss to Trinidad & Tobago was a failure years in the making, an outcome undeserving of the surprise it elicited. Not after how the Americans stumbled from the gate in Concacaf’s qualifying hexagonal, prompting the dismissal of Jurgen Klinsmann with a not-insignificant $6.2m golden handshake. Even after a constellation of factors limited the United States to a scant 12 points in the first nine of 10 qualifiers, Bruce Arena’s side needed only a draw against the world’s 99th-ranked team to be virtually certain of securing at least a play-off spot. Instead, a stunningly torpid defeat, paired with Panama’s last-gasp win over Costa Rica, leaves the US out of the World Cup for the first time in 32 years and represents a disastrous setback for the sport’s growth here.
Stubbornness and lack of talent: the factors that doomed USA's World Cup

The Catastrophe at Couva won’t provoke national shame like it would in countries where soccer is a matter of vital public importance, but it’s a devastating blow to the millions who hope the sport will get there one day. The run-up to Tuesday’s critical qualifier was dwarfed in the headlines by America’s two most popular sports, the NFL and college football, and the Major League Baseball playoffs. Which meant the match, broadcast in the United States on a channel that no one gets, scarcely moved the needle until it was over. That’s the thing about rock bottom: you never know you’ve hit it until you’re there.

Somehow this manages to outplumb the previous nadir of France 98, when the US entered on a head of wide-eyed optimism and promising results – the second-round finish at the 1994 World Cup, the semi-final run at 1995 Copa América, a famous win over Brazil in February 1998 – only to be thoroughly outclassed by Germany, eliminated in a politically charged tilt with Iran and brushed aside by Yugoslavia to finish 32nd out of 32 teams.

[sharedvalues]

3. :( :( :( :( blech blech

That said the US team didn't play well this cycle.





Most sad for Christian Pulisic. He deserves to show off on the big stage.

[malaise]

6. True

Link
https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2017/oct/10/trinidad-and-tobago-v-usa-2018-world-cup-qualifier-live

[L. Coyote]

4. They are also much better at steel drums!

[malaise]

8. Well they created that instrument

and they sure can play them

[L. Coyote]

21. Once stumbled upon a massive steel drum orchestra performing on the NY City Hall steps

Trinidad and Tabago All Stars, I think. They sure filled the plaza with sound. I was able to wander up the steps and hang out right behind them. Fabulous.

This is similar:

[malaise]

22. All Stars is one of the great bands

[jberryhill]

7. Its not fair of them to gang up like that

They should have been split into Trinidad OR Tobago, but not both at the same time.

[malaise]

11. Ha

'

[jberryhill]

41. .

[malaise]

42. Getting up off the floor

[Achilleaze]

9. Thanks Comrade Casino*

This is totally & indisputably your FAIL on your WATCH.

* republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief

[malaise]

15. Well this means the Con can't go to Russia to watch with Pootie

[CentralMass]

16. Well he can still go and root for his "home team"

[malaise]

18. You win the thread

[gratuitous]

34. I couldn't agree more

This never happened under Obama or even Clinton. In fact, you have to go all the way back to Reagan for the last time the U.S. failed to qualify for the World Cup. Pathetic!

[Codeine]

10. Fucking infuriating.

Our whole program has gone completely to shit.

[BeyondGeography]

12. Allez les Bleus!

Mbappe, Dembelé, Lemar...young talent galore!

[MyNameIsKhan]

13. Really wow!

[pangaia]

17. YAY !! BRAVO T & T..

CALYPSO FOREVER !!!!!!!!

BOOGSIE !!!!

PHASE II

WHOOOOOO !!!

[malaise]

19. T&T were eliminated before this game

In fact the stadium was almost empty

[pangaia]

23. yeah I know.. but still...

Please don't ruin my fun...

I always root for jamaica and T & T in the Olympics, also...

[malaise]

25. Ha

[SunSeeker]

20. That fucking sucks. I had such high hopes for Christian Pulisic.

[Blue_true]

24. Klinsman dug a massive hole for the team.

It needs to stay with Arena for the next decade, he was good on the first pass and did not do too poorly this time around. The US team really need to work over it's central defense.

Actually, I don't think the team is knocked out of the World Cup yet, if I remember it is now forced into a one game winner take all situation with a low finisher from another region and if it wins, it gets a sucky draw against a top team to start the WC.

[malaise]

27. No - The US is out of the 2018 WC

https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/10/10/usa-trinidad-tobago-world-cup-qualifying-live-goals-video-pulisic-altidore-wood-dempsey
<snip>
The nightmare scenario has played out for the U.S. men's national team.

A roller coaster of a qualifying campaign ended in shambles, with a stunning 2-1 loss to Trinidad & Tobago, coupled with wins by Panama and Honduras over Costa Rica and Mexico, respectively, has eliminated the USA from the World Cup. The Americans will not be playing in Russia next summer.

Trinidad and Tobago, which hadn't won in its last nine matches (0-8-1), exacted revenge for the 1989 elimination at the hands of the United States, doing so in stunning fashion. An own goal from Omar Gonzalez and a rocket from Alvin Jones provided the offense, while Christian Pulisic's second-half goal wasn't enough to save the Americans.

[Blue_true]

28. Look like I am wrong.

Maybe they needed a tie to get into the situation that I mentioned. I read a detailed analysis a month ago and may have gotten some things mixed up.

[GP6971]

26. It has to be

Obama's fault

[oasis]

31. Now the U.S. team doesn't need to debate whether to accept

an invitation to the White House after winning the Gold Medal.

[a kennedy]

29. Feel bad for the US, but Ireland got in, will be rooting for them.

[malaise]

32. Here's what's interesting

Both confederation champions in the Americas, USA and Chile, will not be taking part in the World Cup.

[sarisataka]

30. Well, that could have gone better...

now to cheer on the Ice Age

[malaise]

33. LOL

[Weekend Warrior]

35. Grrrrr. nt.

[mcar]

36. Karma for the way the US women's team is treated

I'll be cheering for Iceland and Ireland!

[malaise]

37. Great point

Only males matter

[mcar]

38. Some on Twitter

are whining "why is US soccer team so terrible?" They are being reminded that the women kick ass.

[malaise]

39. Implying of course

that only the male team counts. I thank Ted Kennedy for Title IX all the time. The US female team is way ahead of the male team. They win world cups.

[mcar]

40. Good point

Thank you Sen Kennedy!

[grossproffit]

43. Not fair that the U.S. has to play against 2 teams at once!

[malaise]

44. Was it fair in 1989 when it was T&T who only needed a draw to qualify

Suddenly they lost and guess what -suddenly two men became rich and famous - Chuck Blazer and Jack Warner.

Jack is still fighting the extradition order to the USA. Chuck is dead.

https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/07/13/chuck-blazer-death-legacy-corruption-fifa-concacaf-us-soccer-mls