The longest, most arduous journey for a U.S. national team in 28 years reached the finish line Tuesday. But it wasn’t the kind of finish the Americans had been hoping for, with a 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago, combined with wins by Honduras and Panama, denying the U.S. an automatic berth in next summer’s World Cup.
The U.S. started Tuesday needing only a draw to finish third in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament and secure a trip to Russia. Instead, Tuesday’s results drop it to fifth and out of the World Cup for the first time in 31 years.