Four years ago, Mexico's nightmarish (albeit successful) path to World Cup qualification was met with more than a bit of schadenfreude north of the border. El Tri only made it to Brazil thanks to the help of the first-placed U.S., who knocked Panama into fifth on the final day of qualifying, allowing Mexico to finish fourth and then book their World Cup spot via a playoff with New Zealand.
That a similar fate could one day befall the U.S. was acknowledged, but it seemed so unlikely. Yet the U.S. is now in a position of having to stare down the same scenario.