USMNT Qualifying Scenarios: How USA Can Clinch 2022 World Cup Spot, And Why It Will Be Easier In Future Years – CBS Sports

Barring an unimaginable, catastrophic loss on Wednesday, the United States men’s national team will be playing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The red, white and blue dominated Panama 5-1 on Sunday in their second-to-last World Cup qualifier as Christian Pulisic registered a hat trick. The result sets up a comfortable scenario for their final game at Costa Rica. The U.S. can suffer a lopsided loss and still punch their ticket as long as they hold a superior goal differential over Los Ticos following the match. The U.S. would have to lose 6-0 or worse to miss out on the World Cup, so unless the unthinkable happens, the Americans are set to mark their return after missing out in 2018. 

On Sunday, the U.S. led 3-0 by the half-hour mark with Pulisic (penalty), Paul Arriola and Jesus Ferreira all scoring in a 10-minute span. It was an early foul on Walker Zimmerman in the box that resulted in a VAR-confirmed penalty kick, shifting all of the momentum to Gregg Berhalter’s team, and they didn’t look back from there. Panama had a couple of solid looks, but overall it was a comfortable night in Orlando for the reigning Gold Cup champs, who are in second place in the Concacaf table behind Canada, who qualified on Sunday. Another Pulisic penalty late in the first half slammed the door shut on any type of improbable comeback for the visitors. 

In the second half, it was again all USA, with Pulisic rounding out his hat trick with an audacious goal, taking a stellar touch, nutmegging a defender and finishing with class. Take a look:

The hat trick was actually the first of Pulisic’s young career.

Panama, who had their fair share of chances, scored a late consolation goal, but that was all they would get by a united USA defense led by Zimmerman and Miles Robinson. 

The Americans recorded 15 shots and an xG of 3.73, holding Panama to a 0.76 xG on 10 shots. Surprisingly, the U.S. had just 39.3 percent possession, their second lowest amount in this qualifying cycle. Their two lowest possession matches have actually been their last two games — the draw at Mexico and this win over Panama. Less possession equaling four crucial points is something this team isn’t used to, but Berhalter and company will take it.

With the win, the U.S. shifts focus to Wednesday against Costa Rica, which you can see live on Paramount+ at 9:05 p.m. ET.