CONCACAF

The United States has qualified for every World Cup since 1990. Only once in that span did the Americans need a result on the final day of qualifying. That came in 1989 when the U.S. traveled to Trinidad and Tobago needing nothing less than a win to procure a trip to the 1990 World Cup. The USMNT again travels to Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 10 needing a result to extend its streak to eight straight World Cup appearances.

October 6 and 10 could very well define our 2018 without having even celebrated the turning of the new year. Matches against Panama in Orlando and Trinidad & Tobago in Couva will decide the USMNT’s fate with regards to the world’s biggest sporting event. For those that like to measure the time between their birth and death with the probabilities of how many more World Cups they’ll be able to enjoy, failure to take anything less than four points could prove catastrophic.

The final match in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s quest for a World Cup berth will be played in a 10,000-seat stadium. Trinidad & Tobago announced Friday it would host the Americans at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva instead of the nation’s normal ground in Port of Spain. The match will be played Oct. 10. 

Booby Wood, on as a 73rd minute substitute for Darlington Nagbe, salvaged a point for the USMNT against Honduras by scoring his nation’s lone goal in the 85th minute. It took a superbly struck Kellyn Acosta free kick to trouble the staunch Honduran defense, and Wood was on hand to keep the U.S. in the automatic qualifying places — at least for now.

A Panama victory over Trinidad and Tobago later tonight would see the U.S. drop to fourth in the Hex, the spot that necessitates a dreaded inter-confederation playoff with Asia to determine who advances to Russia.

CONCACAF aficionados have long watched the development of Joel Campbell with bated breath (what else are we supposed to do?). The Costa Rican international has routinely punished the United States in international competition, and he seemed to come of age at the 2014 World Cup after scoring against Uruguay.

26-year-old Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake had himself a night, Kemar Lawrence struck a sweet free kick in the 88th minute and the Reggae Boyz upset Mexico in the Gold Cup semifinals Sunday night, setting up a meeting with the United States in the final on Wednesday.

The opening 45 minutes saw Mexico in control. Jamaica were proactive in their approach, but El Tri carved out a couple of clear opportunities only to be denied by the outstanding Blake. In the 12th minute, the Philadelphia Union keeper denied Mexico with a fantastic double save.

The Boyz are alright.

For all the hype surrounding Canadian youngsters Alphonso Davies (16 years old) and Cyle Larin (22), it was the Reggae Boyz who impressed most Thursday evening in Phoenix. Jamaica edged Canada 2-1 in the Gold Cup quarterfinals to set up a date with Mexico or Honduras in the semifinals on Sunday.

Jamaica has a chance to reach its second straight Gold Cup final and in doing so knock off the team that beat them in the 2015 final, Mexico.