The U.S. men’s soccer program has made substantial strides the past few years by placing a young cast in prominent European clubs and rebuilding the national team. It’s a promising sign for the 2022 World Cup and beyond.
But while the senior squad is making notable progress, the under-23 team continues to falter on an important stage, failing Sunday to qualify for the Olympics for the third consecutive cycle and fourth time in five tries.
Honduras scored on the final touch of the first half — on a goal by a native New Yorker — then took advantage of a ghastly goalkeeping mistake shortly after intermission to defeat the United States, 2-1, in the Concacaf tournament semifinals in Guadalajara, Mexico.