Mar 28, 2022 - Sports

U.S. men's soccer closes in on World Cup spot

Kendall Baker

USMNT holds up a banner that reads, "Qualified." — Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

The USMNT beat Panama, 5-1, on Sunday in Orlando behind a hat trick from Christian Pulisic, all but guaranteeing a spot in the 2022 World Cup.

State of play: The U.S. would need to suffer a six-goal defeat at Costa Rica on Wednesday to be denied automatic qualification and sent to a playoff with the winners of Oceania.

The team mistakenly unfurled a banner after the match that said "QUALIFIED" in bold letters.
The World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Nov. 21, 2022, which will mark 3,065 days since the USMNT's last World Cup game (2-1 loss to Belgium on July 1, 2014).

Elsewhere: Canada beat Jamaica, 4-0, to qualify for its first World Cup since 1986 — just months after the women's team won Olympic gold. Mexico beat Honduras, 1-0, to effectively clinch its eighth straight berth.

CONCACAF standings: The top three teams automatically qualify, and the fourth is sent to a playoff. The first tiebreaker is goal differential (GD).

🇨🇦 Canada: 28 pts (+17 GD)
🇺🇸 USA: 25 pts (+13)
🇲🇽 Mexico: 25 pts (+7)
🇨🇷 Costa Rica: 22 pts (+3)
🇵🇦 Panama: 18 pts (-3)
🇸🇻 El Salvador: 10 pts (-8)
🇯🇲 Jamaica: 8 pts (-11)
🇭🇳 Honduras: 4 pts (-18)

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U.S. men's soccer closes in on World Cup spot

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