U.S. Men Close To CONCACAF Automatic Qualification Spot

After tonight's 1-0 victory against Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team has secured no worse than 4th place in the CONCACAF hexagonal, and can finish in the top three fairly easily, earning an automatic bid to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. 

There is one WCQ weekend left, in which we play away at Honduras and finish at home against Costa Rica.

The current hexagonal standings are:

USA 16

Mexico 15

Honduras 13

Costa Rica 12

El Salvador 8

Trinidad & Tobago 5

In order for the U.S. to drop out of the top three, at minimum, Costa Rica must pass us in the standings.

The United States will earn automatic qualification by

1.  A win at Honduras.  19 points.  'Nuff said.

2.  A Costa Rica loss at Trinidad & Tobago.

3.  A win or tie vs. Costa Rica

4.  A Costa Rica tie at Trinidad & Tobago doesn't technically automatically qualify us, but would require the U.S. to lose to Honduras and then Costa Rica to beat the U.S. at home by 10 goals to overcome the current goal differential. 

Plenty of other scenarios are possible.  Since three teams Mexico, Honduras, and Costa Rica have to pass us in order for us to finish fourth, any combination of events in which Mexico or Honduras fail to earn at least 16 points also would give us an automatic berth.