THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
Despite a final day loss in qualification, a 2-0 reverse at Costa Rica, the United States Mens National Team (USMNT) have advanced to soccer's World Cup Finals in Qatar this November. This will be their tenth time going to the world's biggest stage. Their hosts, by winning the game, finished fourth in the CONCACAF qualifying zone (soccer's regional governing body for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean) and now enter a playoff game against New Zealand in June, but the USA had a better goal difference overall and were placed third, behind Canada and Mexico. The final round of matches took place just days before the draw for the group stage of the finals took place in Doha. World rankings were used to place all 32 teams into four pots, and with their recent successful play the USMNT found themselves in Pot 2, alongside Germany, Uruguay, and Croatia.
The US team was in a favourable position for the draw, but there were still many worst-case scenarios that they wished to avoid. Such were the constraints on the draw they couldn't be placed with fierce regional rivals Canada, who although finishing top of the qualification round were in Pot 4. Those in Pot 1 were the elite of the nations, as well as the host nation Qatar. There is a good feeling amongst the USMNT right now, one of confidence from a young group of players that are growing together and who should be blooming when it's their turn to host the tournament in four years' time. The US couldn't avoid a top seeded team though, so for now they have to concentrate on the rest of the year ahead, and on November when they try and progress past the round of 16 for the first time ever.
The opening Pot saw the relevant teams drawn into their respective group slots, so the fun started with the second pot and that's when the USA interest came into play. There was an air of the inevitable when they came out second, which meant a Group B pairing with England. The teams last met in the World Cup in the South Africa finals in 2010, in an opening game which saw the two teams draw 1-1. The the USA were able to get out of the group but lost after extra time to Ghana, 2-1.
Iran emerged from Pot 3, a country that has tenuous links to the USA, and they have met before at this stage. Back in 1998, in France, the two teams faced off with Iran winning 2-1, a game which eliminated the USA after just two games into the group stage.
Lastly, the intriguing Pot 4 has the minnows, but they've provided a surprise or two in the past. This time Pot 4 is even more of a mystery as the winners of a yet-to-be-decided playoff match will fill the last space in the group. This will be between Wales, already through to the playoff final, and either Scotland or Ukraine, who have yet to play their semi-final match due to the ongoing war in Eastern Europe. The USA haven't met these teams at the finals stage, so they will be entering new territory.
The USMNT's group stage round of fixtures is as follows:
21 November v Wales/Scotland/Ukraine – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan 19.00 GMT
25 November v England – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor 19.00 GMT
29 November v Iran – Al Thumama Stadium, Doha 19.00 GMT
The top two from the group advance, then play the teams coming out of Group A in the last 16 round. Group A has hosts Qatar, alongside Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands. The final roster will be announced in late fall, but before then players will have a chance to stake their claim for a seat on the plane with four international games, including two in the Nations League, as well as a double header just before the deadline day for all nations to name their final rosters.
"We're excited about our group and we're looking forward to getting started on our preparations. I think overall, there are some difficult groups across the board. In our group in particular, we have England, who are a very strong team," Gregg Berhalter USMNT head coach said, "and we have two opponents that we need to go deeper on. We don't really know Iran that well, and then we have the unknown of who wins the UEFA playoff. We won't know that until June, but its exciting. We'll be waiting on the edge of our seats to see who advances."
