SAN SALVADOR — At the World Cup in Qatar, the U.S. men’s national team will not have to navigate fields like the one reduced to a muddy slop Tuesday night by overuse and a barrage of rain.
It won’t have to face opponents that are more grit than greatness or engage in superfluous regional exercises such as the Concacaf Nations League.
But when the Americans arrive in Doha in five months, they are going to face adversity in other forms. And unlike Tuesday, when they scored late to tie El Salvador, 1-1, the consequences will rank considerably higher.