USMNT set to host Trinidad & Tobago on Tuesday in Jacksonville

CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Men’s National Team looks to finish the job in advancing to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup when they host Trinidad & Tobago Tuesday at Everbank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. Kicking off at 8 p.m. ET, the match can be seen live on FOX Sports 1 and UniMas.

The MNT is coming off a dominant 6-0 victory at St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday in Kingstown, which puts the side on the doorstep of booking a place to CONCACAF’s final round of qualifying, a.k.a. “The Hex”.

The USA and Trinidad & Tobago played to a 0-0 draw in the second match of the semifinal round on Nov. 13, 2015 in Port of Spain.

FINISH THE JOB
While the MNT put in a strong performance in Friday’s 6-0 win at St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the team is still not mathematically qualified for the final round. There are a number of different scenarios for the MNT to advance on Tuesday night, but the preferred route is by defeating Trinidad & Tobago, which would also see the USA win Group C and mark the sixth-straight time the side has finished atop its semifinal round qualifying group (dating back to the current qualifying format which began during the 1998 cycle). A victory against Trinidad & Tobago is the only way for the MNT to win Group C.

The other scenarios for U.S. advancement to “The Hex”:

• Draw against Trinidad & Tobago
• Lose to Trinidad & Tobago AND Guatemala and St. Vincent draw
• Lose to Trinidad & Tobago AND St. Vincent win
• Lose to Trinidad & Tobago AND Guatemala win where the 13 goals are not made up betweenlos Chapines and the MNT

x- Advanced to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

WHY FINISH FIRST?
Under the current qualifying format which began during the 1998 World Cup cycle, the U.S. has never failed to finish top of its semifinal round group. Beyond that, finishing first or second in the group will dictate the team’s schedule for the final round of qualifying which begins in November and runs all the way through October 2017. The schedule matrix for the final round was determined via random draw onJuly 8 in Miami and can be seen below. The standing placements have been changed to reflect the teams that are still vying for places in their specific groups:

If the MNT finishes in first place in the group, they enter the final round as C1. And wouldn’t you know which team C1 hosts in the opening game? Think #DosaCero. That’s right – the United States would host Mexico on Nov. 11 at a stadium to be … ahem … determined. Just as intriguing, with Costa Rica in pole position in Group B, the second match for Team 1 would most likely be away to Los Ticos four days later. As it turns out, it doesn’t snow in Costa Rica in November (or any time, for that matter).

Should the U.S. finish in second place, they become C2 and would still be at home. And here comes that Costa Rica game again! The other intriguing part of the C2 schedule is back-to-back home games for Matchdays 3-4, and back-to-back away games for Matchdays 5-6 and 8-9.

So you see, where you finish in the semifinal round matters a great deal on the roadmap to Russia. But to be there, you’ve got to get there, making these next two matches absolutely critical. While it may have seemed September was a sleepy time, the MNT needs your support now more than ever.

MNT ROSTER CHANGES FOR T&T
Following Friday’s win at St. Vincent, two players departed MNT camp while two others have joined. Having picked up his second yellow card of the semifinal round on Friday, defender DeAndre Yedlin will serve his one-match suspension on Tuesday vs. Trinidad & Tobago, while Matt Besler has been allowed to return to Kansas City after the birth of his daughter on Friday morning. As planned, midfielder Michael Bradley and defender Michael Orozco – who were both suspended for Friday’s contest – will join the team in Jacksonville for Tuesday’s match against Trinidad & Tobago.

HOME SUPPORT IN JACKSONVILLE
EverBank Field and the fans in Jacksonville have proved excellent hosts for the MNT, and the team has clearly responded. With great crowd support and a superb playing surface, the U.S. has posted two wins while scoring seven goals and only surrendering a pair. In 2012, a Landon Donovan hat trick and strikes from Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones paced the U.S. to a 5-1 win against Scotland. In the final sendoff before the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Altidore bagged a pair as the MNT ran out 2-1 winners against Nigeria. Overall, the USA holds an unblemished 4-0-0 in JAX dating back to 1997.

CONSISTENCY FROM COPA AMERICA
After taking fourth place in Copa America Centenario this past June – tying the USA’s best finish in the tournament – Klinsmann has kept most of the group together, recalling 21 of the 23 players from the roster before losing Brooks, Jones and Zardes to injury.

“We definitely think that the group that got fourth in the Copa America deserves a certain priority going on to the next World Cup qualifiers because they did tremendously well in the Copa America,” Klinsmann said. “It was an exciting tournament with great games. The whole group learned a lot, playing teams like Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina. This is a big stage, and they deserve to come back and confirm what they did in the tournament in these upcoming, very important World Cup qualifiers. We are preparing for these two games very seriously, with a lot of urgency because we want to finish off our group in first place if possible, and this group of players gets the chance to do that.”

STRONG STRIKE FORCE
Despite the absence of Clint Dempsey due to health concerns and Gyasi Zardes due to injury, the U.S. attacking corps is in fine form. After both scoring a goal in Friday’s win against St. Vincent, Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wood now have a combined eight goals in the four matches they’ve started up front for the MNT. Prior to camp beginning, Altidore had racked up five goals in his last seven matches, while Wood began his Bundesliga career at Hamburg by scoring the team’s opening goal of the campaign. San Jose captain Chris Wondolowski has recorded nine goals in 21 matches, while Jordan Morris is tied at the top of Seattle Sounders FC strikers with eight goals.

GOALKEEPING CHANGES
As he has in the previous two camps around semifinal World Cup Qualifying matches this cycle, Jurgen Klinsmann announced that he would split the goalkeeping duties for the two matches between Brad Guzan and Tim Howard. Guzan was active off his line and made one key save in the MNT’s win at St. Vincent on Friday, while Tim Howard will start Tuesday’s match vs. Trinidad & Tobago. Howard has gone 3-0-1 in four all-time matches vs. Trinidad & Tobago and has never conceded a goal to the Soca Warriors.

COACHING WINS
With Friday’s win at St. Vincent, Jurgen Klinsmann earned his 14^th overall win in World Cup Qualifying, moving past Bob Bradley into second all-time in MNT history behind Bruce Arena (20). Klinsmann is 28-11-6 and holds a .688 winning percentage in competitive matches, the highest of any MNT head coach all-time. Friday’s win at St. Vincent also marked the MNT’s 10^th victory of 2016, making Klinsmann just the second MNT coach after Arena to record double-digit wins in three years as national team manager.

MNT WORLD CUP QUALIFYING ROSTER: In naming the roster, MNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann leaned heavily on the players that represented the U.S. at this summer’s Copa America Centenario, with 18 of 23 players forming the basis of the team that helped the USA to a fourth-place finish at the historic tournament. Tim Howard leads the roster with 31 World Cup Qualifying caps, while five other players have played in 13 or more qualifying matches for the United States.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (Club; WCQ Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough;11/0), Ethan Horvath (Molde FC; 0/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 31/0)

DEFENDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 1/0), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United; 1/0), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City; 18/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca; 9/0), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach; 12/1), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana; 5/1)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana; 0/0), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake; 8/0), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 5/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC; 28/5), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls; 16/1), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 3/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund; 2/2), Caleb Stanko (FC Vaduz; 0/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City; 14/3)

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC; 30/14), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 2/0), Rubio Rubin (FC Utrecht; 0/0), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg SV; 5/2)

MNT IN 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

• The U.S. is 3-1-1 (10 points) in five 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches.
• The MNT defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6-1 (Nov. 13), drew 0-0 at Trinidad & Tobago (Nov. 17), lost 2-0 at Guatemala (March 26), defeated Guatemala 4-0 on March 30and St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6-0 (Sept. 2)
• Jurgen Klinsmann has utilized 26 different players during the course of the team’s first five qualifying matches.
• Jozy Altidore leads the team in scoring in this cycle with four goals in five matches. Geoff Cameron, Christian Pulisic and Bobby Wood are tied for second with two apiece.
• Altidore is tied for second in overall scoring in CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. With four goals, the MNT forward is even with five other players, just one behind regional leader Tevin Slater of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Cameron and DeAndre Yedlin are the only two MNT players to play every minute of 2018 World Cup Qualifying thus far.

USA ROSTER NOTES:

• Since naming the initial 27-player roster, Jermaine Jones (knee), Gyasi Zardes (broken foot), and John Brooks (back) were forced to withdraw. New York Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan joined the group Aug. 29 in Jacksonville.
• After picking up his second yellow card of the semifinal round, DeAndre Yedlin departed camp following Friday’s match at St. Vincent, as did Matt Besler, who returned home after the birth of his daughter early Friday morning.
• A total of 18 players on the roster were part of the side that earned fourth-place at this summer’s Copa America Centenario.
• The confirmed starter for Tuesday’s match vs. Trinidad & Tobago, Howard leads all players on the roster with 31 World Cup Qualifying caps. His appearance in the match will move him past Kasey Keller for most World Cup Qualifying appearances all-time by an MNT goalkeeper.
• Having made his World Cup Qualifying debut in a 2-0 win vs. El Salvador on Sept. 4, 2004, Howard holds a 21-7-3 all-time record in qualifying matches with 14 shutouts to his name.
• With two goals and an assist off the bench vs. St. Vincent, Christian Pulisic became the youngest player in MNT history to score in World Cup Qualifying and to record a multi-goal game (17 years, 349 days).
• With his 43^rd minute penalty kick on Friday, Altidore moved into a tie with Clint Dempsey for the all-time lead in MNT World Cup Qualifying goals (14).
• Making his first MNT appearance since March 5, 2014, Sacha Kljestan also came off the bench vs. St. Vincent, scoring a goal of his own and setting up both of Pulisic’s second half goals.
• Kellyn Acosta earned his first World Cup Qualifying cap for the MNT at St. Vincent, going 90 minutes at left back in the 6-0 win.
• Four players could still gain their first World Cup Qualifying caps: Paul Arriola, Ethan Horvath, Rubio Rubin, Caleb Stanko.
• The 23 players ply their trades in eight different countries: USA (10), Germany, Mexico (3 each), Canada, England (2 each), Liechtenstein, Netherlands and Norway (1 each)
• Friday’s 6-0 win vs. St. Vincent was Brad Guzan’s 10^th appearance of 2016, going 8-2-0 and earning six shutouts. In 25 competitive all-time matches, the Middlesbrough ‘keeper is 15-6-4, earning 12 clean sheets along the way.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO NOTES

• The U.S. holds a 16-2-4 all-time advantage vs. Trinidad & Tobago and is a near-perfect 11-0-1 in home matches.
• The MNT is 11-1-3 all-time in FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches vs. the Soca Warriors, with the only loss coming during the 2010 qualifying cycle when the USA had already advanced to the Hex.
• Eight of the players on the roster took part in the MNT’s 0-0 draw at Trinidad & Tobago on Nov. 17.
• Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley are the only two players on the roster to score goals against Trinidad & Tobago. Bradley tallied in the USA’s 3-0 semifinal round WCQ win on Sept. 10, 2008, while Altidore recorded a hat trick in the team’s 3-0 final round WCQ win on April 1, 2009.
• Tim Howard has never conceded a goal to Trinidad & Tobago, earning a 3-0-1 record in four career appearances against the Soca Warriors.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO ROSTER BY POSITION:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Adrian Foncette (Police F.C.), Marvin Phillip (Morvant Caledonia United), Greg Ranjitsingh (Louisville City, USA)

DEFENDERS (7): Radanfah Abu Bakr (Sillamae Kalev, EST), Daneil Cyrus (W Connection), Aubrey David (FC Dallas), Joevin Jones (Seattle Sounders FC, USA), Yohance Marshall (Morcielagos, MEX), Carlyle Mitchell (Seoul E-Land, KOR), Mekeil Williams (Colorado Rapids, USA)

MIDFIELDERS (9): John Bostock (Lens, FRA), Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge, ENG), Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes, USA), Kevan George (Jacksonville Armada FC, USA), Neveal Hackshaw (Charleston Battery), Hughtun Hector (W Connection), Khaleem Hyland (Westerlo, BEL), Kevin Molino (Orlando City, USA), Jomal Williams (Murcielagos, MEX)

FORWARDS (4): Trevin Caesar (Orange County Blues, USA), Levi Garcia (AZ Alkmaar, NED), Kenwyne Jones (Central F.C.), Shahdon Winchester (Murcielagos, MEX)

USA-TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CONNECTIONS:

• Nine T&T players play for clubs in the United States, with five plying their trade in MLS, with two each in in second division NASL and third division USL.
• Defender Joevin Jones, who scored both of T&T’s goals in Friday’s 2-2 draw with Guatemala, is teammates with Jordan Morris at Seattle Sounders FC.
• Other MLS teammate connections include Mekeil Williams and Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Aubrey David and Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas) and Cordell Cato and Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes).
• T&T captain Kenwyne Jones was teammates with MNT defender Geoff Cameron at Stoke City from 2012-2014. The Soca Warriors forward recently signed for new MLS side Atlanta United FC, but is currently playing on loan with Central in Trinidad before joining the club for their inaugural MLS season in 2017.
• After receiving his second yellow card of the semifinal round in Friday’s 2-2 draw with Guatemala, T&T defender Sheldon Bateau will serve a one-match suspension duringTuesday’s match in Jacksonville.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO UPDATE:

With their 2-2 home draw against Guatemala on Friday, Trinidad & Tobago locked down a place in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, returning to the Hex after missing out during qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Should they defeat or draw the United States on Tuesday, T&T would clinch top spot in Group C.