Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press
The United States men’s national team renews its rivalry with Mexico on Thursday amid a tricky set of circumstances.
Gregg Berhalter’s team needs four points from the next three games of Concacaf World Cup qualifying to secure a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Thursday’s contest at Estadio Azteca is by far the toughest of the three games in the next week. Berhalter may be inclined to start more of his reserves so that some starters are fresh for Sunday’s home game against Panama.
Berhalter is a tough spot with his lineup selection, even if he sends a first-choice XI to the field. Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest and Brenden Aaronson are all out of the squad due to injuries.
The injuries to those key players will shift more pressure to the shoulders of Christian Pulisic and they require more players to step up alongside the Chelsea star to ensure safe passage to Qatar in November.
USMNT vs. Mexico Info
Date: Thursday, March 24
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network, Univision
Live Stream: Paramount Plus
Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): Mexico (-110; bet $110 to win $100); USMNT (+300; bet $100 to win $300); Draw (+230)
Preview
The USMNT comes into the final three-game window of Concacaf World Cup qualifying in second place with 21 points.
The Americans are level with Mexico on 21 points. Canada leads the eight-team group with 25 points. The three nations are currently locked into the automatic qualification spots for Qatar.
Panama is fourth with 17 points, while Costa Rica sits in fifth with 16 points. The fourth-place team heads to the intercontinental playoff against the top team in Oceania.
The USMNT needs a win on Sunday at home against Panama more than a result against Mexico. Those three points would put the Americans in a safe position, and it might be enough for them to qualify depending on results elsewhere.
The recovery turnaround from Thursday to Sunday will be rough for the Americans, especially with Mexico City sitting at altitude.
The situation produced a debate as to whether Berhalter should field a first-team XI at Estadio Azteca. He may be forced into that decision with some inexperienced players in attack.
Pulisic and Tyler Adams should be locks to at least start because of how vital they are to the USMNT in midfield.
Walker Zimmerman should be partnered by either Miles Robinson or Aaron Long at center back. That is where the certainties end with the potential starting XI.
Right back Reggie Cannon returned an inconclusive COVID-19 test and missed training on Tuesday. Cannon was in line to start for the injured Sergino Dest.
If Cannon can’t go, Berhalter may have to call on DeAndre Yedlin. The Inter Miami right back brings experience to the field and that may be vital among a group of players that lack experience of playing a World Cup qualifying match inside Azteca.
The good news in attack is that Giovanni Reyna is fit and in the squad. He and Pulisic could fill the playmaking role left open by Brenden Aaronson.
Berhalter has a handful of options up top, but they all come with some inexperience and question marks.
Ricardo Pepi struggled since his move to Augsburg in the Bundesliga. Jesus Ferreira only has seven caps, but he is coming off a hat-trick for FC Dallas. Jordan Pefok has 17 league goals for Young Boys in Switzerland, but he has just one goal in eight USMNT appearances.
Berhalter could save all three of those players for the next two games and start Jordan Morris, who recently played at elevation in Mexico with the Seattle Sounders in the Concacaf Champions League.
Morris is used to the conditions in Mexico and he owns the most caps and goals among the true forwards on the roster.
A draw at Azteca would be a fantastic result for the USMNT. A win would be a stunning outcome and it would put the squad on track to qualify for Qatar.
Mexico needs three points to alleviate any concerns about dropping into the intercontinental playoff.
El Tri finish the “Octagonal” with a road trip to Honduras and El Salvador at home. Those two games should produce enough points to finish in the top three if a result does not come on Thursday.
Both squads could use an upset in Panama City to ease the pressure on their respective qualification processes.
Panama hosts Honduras and Canada visits Costa Rica in the two other meaningful games across Concacaf. Jamaica welcomes El Salvador in a clash of bottom-table squads.
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