USA DOWNFALL
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| USA |
After the wonderful performance in last world cup. They failed to book a ticket for the biggest footballing event in Russia this time. It's very sad moment for them not to qualify. There can be various reason for the downfall of American's.
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| USA failed to reach Russia |
A combination of home form, team selection and freakish results led to one of the most devastating nights in the history of American soccer.
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| Kim Klement |
Having won four straight home qualifiers against Mexico by a 2-0 scoreline, the U.S. was hoping for another straightforward victory in the opening fixture of the Hexagonal. Goals from Miguel Layun and Rafael Marquez gave the visitors a surprise 2-1 win, however, with Bobby Wood having leveled the game for the hosts in the second half.
The defeat was a major blow for the U.S., but by no means a disaster with plenty of time to recover and claim a spot in Russia.
A trip to Estadio Nacional followed with Costa Rica the opponent, and nothing less than a comprehensive victory would make up for a dismal start. A shock 4-0 defeat heaped more misery onto proceedings and marked the end for Jurgen Klinsmann's five-year spell as coach.
The reverse leg against Costa Rica would prove just as harmful, though, with two goals from Marco Urena putting the hosts to a 2-0 loss in New Jersey.
While home defeats to Mexico and Costa Rica weren't the sole reason for the U.S. crashing out of qualifying, they absolutely had a say.
Injuries and player selection
The USA's opening defeats to Mexico and Costa Rica came at a time when seasoned national team star Clint Dempsey was suffering with a heart issue, which later denied him a regular spot under Arena as a precaution.
It was the bizarre exclusion of Stoke City's Geoff Cameron, who started four of the first five qualifiers following Arena's appointment in November 2016 before being dropped for the final three — including the decisive loss in Trinidad — that proved a sticking point with supporters.
"It was pure embarrassment and shame. It was the most depressing moment I've had in my entire career," Cameron said following the result. "Everyone wanted to know how. How could we lose to Trinidad & Tobago with the World Cup on the line? But to me, the problems run deeper than just one game.
"After Jurgen Klinsmann was fired, and Bruce Arena took over, we got too comfortable. We lost our ambition and sense of progress. But more than anything, we lost any sense of competitiveness."
The circumstances surrounding Cameron's exclusion is unclear but the player's words on the general situation paints a damning picture of those involved with the national team.
Read more about : Fifa world cup 2018 Russia
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