US fails to reach 2018 World Cup; Argentina joy

Falling 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago, the US neglected to fit the bill for Russia 2018. An early claim objective from Omar Gonzalez set the tone for the annihilation, before Alvin Jones multiplied the Trinidad and Tobago lead on 37 minutes. 

In spite of a fightback, which incorporated an objective straight after the half-time break from 19-year-old Christian Pulisic, American hearts were to be broken, with the thrashing diving the Americans into fifth place in the CONCACAF table. 

"We didn't fit the bill for the World Cup," USMNT head mentor Bruce Arena said following the diversion. 

"That was my activity. To get the group met all requirements for the World Cup ... This amusement in my view was flawlessly situated for the US group and we bombed on the day," Arena proceeded. "We have no reasons. We bombed today. We ought to have strolled off this field with no less than a point." 

The last round of qualifiers in CONCACAF additionally observed Panama put Costa Rica to the sword, and Honduras squeeze out a 3-2 win against table-fixing Mexico. 

The US result couldn't have been a greater stun - heading into the last session of qualifying, the Americans were securely inside the programmed openings, with just a direct required toward secure their tickets to Russia. 

Yet, the wins by Panama and Honduras, combined with their startling misfortune to the last-put CONCACAF group in Couva, dropped the US group to fifth. 

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Somewhere else, a cap trap from Lionel Messi moved Argentina - which had persevered through a poor keep running of results, placing capability in question - into third in the South American qualifying table and a programmed spot. 

In another agitated, World Cup regulars Chile - the Copa America holders - endured a 3-0 overcome on account of Brazil, missing out on objective contrast to fifth-put Peru, who now confront a playoff round against Oceania victors New Zealand. 

The Panamanians' 2-1 triumph saw them in third place and promised them a presentation World Cup appearance in Russia one year from now, close by individual provincial qualifiers Costa Rica, who completed second, and Mexico, who beat the table. 

European qualifiers 

In Europe, France and Portugal joined Germany, Serbia, Poland, England, Spain, Belgium and Iceland as programmed qualifiers for one year from now's release of FIFA's leader competition. 

Portugal jumped Switzerland to guarantee one of the last programmed spaces for European qualifying, with Johan Djourou putting the ball in his own net to hand the prompt the authoritative European champions, which completed off the challenge with a 57-minute Andre Silva strike. 

The staying European playoff spots were additionally decided - bunch sprinters up Sweden, Greece and Switzerland joining Italy, Denmark, Croatia, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the following round of qualifying. 

Slovakia passed up a major opportunity for a playoff compartment as the most reduced positioned sprinter up. 

In Asia, Australia's veteran Tim Cahill scored twice - his 49th and 50th universal objectives - to seal a 2-1 triumph for the Socceroos and end Syria's fantasies of a first-since forever World Cup. Australia now confront Honduras in an intercontinental play-off. 

An aggregate of 23 groups have now fit the bill for the quadrennial 32-group universal competition, which commences in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium next summer. 

Africa's qualifying is yet to be settled, as have the aftereffects of the European and between confederation playoffs, which will happen in November.3