It’s been 1,631 days since the U.S. men’s national team suffered one of the biggest embarrassments in U.S. sports history. Needing just a draw against lowly Trinidad & Tobago to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the USMNT put together a shambolic performance, losing 2-1 and getting absolutely no help across CONCACAF to miss the World Cup.
Since that day, though, the goal has been to return to the World Cup. And the team has literally the easiest path to lock up that spot: forfeit Wednesday’s game against Costa Rica.
Now, the United States Soccer Federation has made plenty of mistakes over these past 1,631 days. It took too long to replace Bruce Arena, settling on a nepotistic hire in Gregg Berhalter. Its treatment of the USWNT in their battle for equal pay was shameful. It scheduled a key qualifying match outside in Minnesota in February (!!!). But amid all the federation-level blunders, the USMNT is enjoying a true golden generation of talent and on the cusp of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
After the USMNT’s resounding 5-1 win over Panama in Orlando on Sunday, which included a world-class hat trick from Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, the U.S. players took the field with a “QUALIFIED” banner despite not officially qualifying for the World Cup.
The USMNT unveiled a 'qualified' banner despite needing one more result against Costa Rica to officially reach the World Cup 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/HUMr61ikGB
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 28, 2022
The USSF got roasted for the premature celebration because a 6-0 defeat in Costa Rica would send the USMNT to the intercontinental play-off. The USMNT hasn’t lost 6-0 since 1979 in a friendly against France, so that’s not happening. I mean, it shouldn’t happen — no matter how poorly the USMNT has historically played in Costa Rica.
That brings me back to the forfeit, though. A forfeit would go down as a 3-0 defeat, locking up a World Cup spot out of CONCACAF.
USMNT need to win, draw, or lose by 5-0 or less to advance directly to the World Cup.
A forfeit is a 3-0 loss. Just sayin'!
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) March 28, 2022
Like, it isn’t the worst idea in the world even if I’m well aware that the USSF would never do it.
You don’t have to tell me how taking a forfeit would send a terrible message about competitive integrity and respect for the game. It would obviously have the Costa Rican federation furious too, considering ticket sales and implications with goal differential. I know! Still, hear me out.
Berhalter’s goal from the start has been to return to the World Cup, and he’s looking at a golden opportunity to accomplish that goal without needing to even send his team out there on the pitch. That has to be tempting. You can book a place in Qatar without dealing with the house of horrors that has been matches in Costa Rica. You send all the players back to their respective clubs without risking further injury.
Plus, FIFA rankings won’t update before Friday’s World Cup draw. There’s very little to gain by playing on Wednesday, but there is a minuscule risk of absolute disaster.
I can relate. My goal in college was to graduate and get a job. Late in my senior year — with a job opportunity already lined up — I was looking at one remaining final exam in a class where I had a solid A grade. I could have shown up, knowing there was nothing to gain. OR, I could have taken the zero, dropped my grade to a C- and gone to The Wheel with my QUALIFIED banner.
I’ll let you guess what I did.
The USMNT doesn’t need to get greedy. Take the zero.
