With all due respect to Disney’s marketing department, the most magical place on earth was a few miles northeast of Orlando’s theme parks on Sunday night.
At least that’s what Exploria Stadium must have felt like to the USA and their ebullient supporters, as a Christian Pulisic hat-trick contributed to a 5-1 thrashing that sent Gregg Berhalter’s side to the fringes of Qatar 2022. A tricky and occasionally agonizing qualifying The campaign will now almost certainly have a happy ending.
Of course, the USA know from agonizing experience that strange things can happen on the final night of Concacaf qualifiers after an easy win over Panama at Orlando City’s home stadium. But in all likelihood history will not repeat itself. Unlike 2017, the USA can afford a defeat in their last game on Wednesday in Costa Rica. In fact, they can afford a great loss. Even a five-goal loss wouldn’t be fatal given the goal difference between them and fourth-place Costa Rica.
The result eliminated fifth-placed Panama from the competition, meaning the US can at least reach fourth place, the rank that entails an intercontinental playoff in Qatar in June, likely against New Zealand.
Only the most meticulous mathematician would pay attention to this scenario. The USA are second, ahead of Mexico on goal difference and behind Canada, who qualified by beating Jamaica 4-0 on Sunday.
“I think on a night where we needed to pull off a resounding win, that’s what we did. We helped our goal difference,” said a hoarse-sounding Berhalter at Fox Sports.
The final whistle blew in Costa Rica’s 2-1 away win over El Salvador just before kick-off in Florida, giving the Berhalter team all three points. After a hesitant start, they blossomed in stunning and emphatic style, with Pulisic – a teenage freshman in 2017, captain of his country and a Premier League star in 2022 – with two penalties and superb spin and a calm finish for his third set a good example.
A night highlighting the team’s evolution between World Cup cycles, from a roster of declining veterans to a roster shaped by rapidly improving young players, was also a night to highlight the personal growth of the biggest name in American football.
Granted, a few careless assists from a US Panama veteran calmed nerves. Midfielder Anibal Godoy punched his Nashville teammate Walker Zimmerman in the face and the defender fell to the ground. After a VAR review, referee Ivan Barton awarded a penalty, which Pulisic converted in the 17th minute.
Christian Pulisic celebrates after his hat-trick goal. Photo: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images“It’s huge. We knew we had to make a really strong start, go in front, score the first goal and go from there,” Zimmerman said after the game.
Driven by desperation, Panama could have leveled less than five minutes later after a giveaway from Antonee Robinson triggered the flipper in the US box. The Fulham left-back was more sure-footed in the 23rd minute, getting the 5ft 6 out in Paul Arriola with a cross. The FC Dallas winger headed in the second minute, then Jesus Ferreira decided the game in the 27th minute with a tap-in after a clever move down the right touchline and a deflected touch from Arriola. It was the first goal by a US center forward since October.
Panama, who needed to win to avoid elimination, had plenty of possession and enough offensive flair to cause problems in the American defence, with Zack Steffen unsure of goal at times. But shoddy defense became their undoing.
Godoy, arms twirling like a pinwheel in a hurricane, was penalized for another foul in the penalty area in first-half injury time. This time it was a gentle distinction; the end product was the same, another goal of Pulisic. Oddly enough, he celebrated with a worm breakdance move. The Chelsea forward, who had been in fighting form all evening, found himself in the middle of a scuffle moments later as tempers flared.
The USA’s previous game was last Thursday’s goalless draw with Mexico in the thin air of the Azteca, where the Americans have never won a qualifier. With the risk of fatigue, injuries and suspensions ahead of Sunday’s crucial game, it was a bold decision for Berhalter to choose a strong eleven for the game. There was some logic to it too, as USA beat their regional rivals three times last year and Mexico’s squad is unusually bland.
As it turned out, fatigue wasn’t a cause for concern as the game was pretty much over at the break. Pulisic started both games – but there are few better salve for tired legs than a 4-0 half-time lead and a hat-trick clinched in the 65th minute of an open and lively second period with a clean spin and finish was achieved.
“It wasn’t even our best performance,” midfielder Tyler Adams told Fox Sports.
Godoy ended his action-packed evening with a beautiful header that made it 5-1 with four minutes left, but that didn’t dampen the noise level in the stands. Costa Rica has won five of their last six games and the American record in the country is bleak. Based on these findings, the defense could use some fine-tuning in the next two days.
But this was a night to savor goals, admire Pulisic and get ready to party. As they greeted cheering fans after the game, some of the American players briefly and prematurely held up a banner that read “Qualified.” It was quickly packed up and put away. You must have gotten the message: not quite yet, not quite officially. It certainly won’t be long now.