Preview: U.S. MNT looks to #Get3 in Thursday's World Cup qualifier vs. Trinidad and Tobago

U.S. Men's National Team vs. Trinidad and Tobago
2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying – CONCACAF Hexagonal
Thursday, June 8 | 7 p.m. CT | FS1, UniMas, UDN
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park | Commerce City, Colorado

The long and winding road to Russia continues Thursday as the United States Men’s National Team hosts Trinidad and Tobago in an all-important FIFA World Cup qualifier at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. Kickoff is set for 6:50 p.m. CT on FS1, UniMas and UDN, presenting the U.S. MNT with an opportunity to #GET3 and climb into the upper half of CONCACAF’s Hexagonal table for the first time during the current qualifying cycle.

After more than two months of uninterrupted action with their respective clubs, 26 American players have been summoned by head coach Bruce Arena for a pair of qualifiers that could go a long way in deciding whether the U.S. MNT will make an eighth straight World Cup appearance. Among them are Sporting Kansas City defenders Graham Zusi and Matt Besler, who have been staples of the national team setup since debuting in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

A tumultuous start to the Hex saw the U.S. MNT fall to Mexico and Costa Rica last November, leading to the dismissal of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann. The ship was steadied with Arena’s arrival at the turn of the new year, and a four-point haul in March qualifiers against Honduras (6-0) and Panama (1-1) not only lessened anxiety but lifted the side from sixth place to fourth in the Hex.

Hexagonal Standings

Nevertheless, the U.S. MNT enters Thursday with little margin for error. With six qualifiers still to play between now and October, Arena’s men sit outside the top three spots that clinch automatic qualification to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. While a fourth-place finish would be good enough to secure an intercontinental playoff against an Asian team in November, the U.S. will be motivated to take maximum points from Thursday’s home encounter — especially with a daunting trip to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City coming just three days later.

Zusi logged his 47th cap in Saturday’s 1-1 friendly draw against Venezuela in Sandy, Utah, which served as a tune-up for this week’s qualifiers. Besler spent that afternoon in Kansas City, leading Sporting KC to its league-leading eighth shutout of the season, but has since returned to the national team and will be available for selection alongside Zusi on Thursday.

Eighteen-year-old wonderkid Christian Pulisic scored the equalizer on Saturday to preserve the U.S. MNT’s unbeaten record in 2017. The playmaking midfielder tallied the fifth goal of his international career in the 61st minute — a just reward for a team performance that markedly improved in the second half.

In many ways, Trinidad and Tobago has mirrored the U.S. MNT during the Hexagonal stage of qualifying. The Soca Warriors took two losses in November, prompting the departure of head coach Stephen Hart as Tom Saintfiet took the managerial reigns. His stint with the team lasted merely a month before new coach Dennis Lawrence led the side to its first Hexagonal victory — a 1-0 home win over Panama that was followed by a 1-0 home defeat to first-place Mexico. Lawrence’s current 24-man roster consists mostly of domestic players, but also includes four who ply their trade in Major League Soccer: Seattle's Joevin Jones, Colorado's Mekeil Williams, Minnesota's Kevin Molino and Atlanta's Kenwyne Jones, who captains the Soca Warriors.

The U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago are familiar foes, having battled twice in the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying. The teams battled to a 0-0 draw in Port of Spain on Nov. 17, 2015 before the U.S. cruised to a 4-0 victory in Jacksonville last September to finish atop their semifinal group. The Americans are 11-1-3 in World Cup qualifiers against the Soca Warriors, including a 7-0-1 mark on home soil.

U.S. MNT Roster By Position (Club; WCQ Caps/Goals):

GOALKEEPERS (4): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC; 13/0), Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL; 0/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 35/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (10): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo; 33/6), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City; 11/1), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/GER; 3/0), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG; 20/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX; 14/0), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas; 0/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 4/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 2/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/ENG; 6/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City; 17/3)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 2/0), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana/MEX; 2/1), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 8/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 33/6), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 15/1), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 5/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 7/3)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 36/16), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 38/18), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 3/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 8/4)

Trinidad & Tobago Roster by Position (Club; Caps)

Goalkeepers (3): Jan Michael Williams (Juticalpa; 77), Marvin Phillip (Morvant Caledonia United; 62), Adrian Foncette (Police; 7)

Defenders (9): Radanfah Abu Bakr (Suduva Marijampole; 36), Sheldon Bateau (Krylia Sovetov Samara; 27), Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force; 23), Daneil Cyrus (W Connection; 66), Mekeil Williams (Colorado Rapids; 18), Triston Hodge (W Connection; 6), Alvin Jones (W Connection; 7), Carlos Edwards (Carlos Edwards; 94), Aubrey David (PS Kemi; 38)

Midfielders (9): Hashim Arcia (Defence Force; 8), Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge; 47) Kevan George (Jacksonville Armada; 32), Hughtun Hector (W Connection; 43), Khaleem Hyland (Westerlo; 70), Joevin Jones (Seattle Sounders FC; 60), Nathan Lewis (San Juan Jabloteh; 7), Kevin Molino (Minnesota United FC; 37), Leston Paul (Central; 11)

Forwards (3): Shahdon Winchester (Murcielagos; 18), Jamille Boatswain (Defence Force; 4), Kenwyne Jones (Atlanta United FC; 89)