Everyone expected it to be hard. Everyone knew it was going to be a challenge. But the first window of Concacaf’s Octagonal World Cup qualifying competition was an eye-opening grind nevertheless.
A schedule featuring three games in three countries—all across just seven days—evolved quickly into a battle of attrition for a young U.S. men's national team that kicked off talking about nine points and finished relieved to have five.
Positive COVID-19 tests sidelined goalkeeper Zack Steffen and forced Christian Pulisic to arrive in camp lacking fitness. Pulisic struggled to make a consistent impact and then was lost to an ankle injury suffered during the third qualifier in Honduras.