TIM WEAH

American soccer’s harrowing memory of the loss in Trinidad 4 1/2 years ago remains omnipresent, if no longer raw.

The United States escaped a half-full Estadio Azteca with a gritty 0-0 draw against Mexico and moved into position to all but clinch a World Cup berth with a victory at home against Panama this weekend.

Zack Steffen was in goal as U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter used an “A” team lineup and changed five starters for a World Cup qualifier against Mexico at Estadio Azteca.

The U.S. could clinch a return to soccer’s World Cup with two games to spare if it wins in Mexico City, Panama loses at home to last-place Honduras and Costa Rica fails to win at home against first-place Canada.

Gio Reyna, Jordan Pefok and Ethan Horvath are back for the United States’ final World Cup qualifiers but Sergiño Dest appears likely to miss the three games.

Christian Pulisic was benched as U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter changed seven starters for a World Cup qualifier against Honduras in chilly St. Paul, where the temperature at kickoff was 3 degrees (minus-16 Celsius) with a minus-14 windchill.

Midfielders and defenders are the players providing the goals the United States needs to reach the World Cup.

Jordan Morris, Tim Weah, Sergiño Dest and Gyasi Zardes returned from injuries to make the U.S. roster ahead of the next three World Cup qualifiers.

Midfielder Gio Reyna and forward Tim Weah remain uncertain for the United States' next three World Cup qualifiers, which start Jan. 27 with a match against El Salvador at Columbus, Ohio. Reyna has not played in any matches since injuring his right hamstring during the opening qualifier at El Salvador on Sept. 2.

Tim Weah’s 11th-minute goal was matched by Michail Antonio’s spectacular 34-yard strike in the 22nd minute, leaving the United States with a 1-1 draw against Jamaica in a World Cup qualifier.

The newest player on the U.S. men's national soccer team feels like he fits right in.

As much as American soccer players want wins, they crave respect.

Christian Pulisic scored on a glancing header with his first touch of the game in the 74th minute and Weston McKennie added a goal in the 85th to lift the United States over Mexico 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier.

Getting through the first six games of World Cup qualifying has taken a village for the United States.

Tim Weah scored on a shot that deflected off the goalkeeper in the 66th minute after Sergiño Dest started the comeback from a first-minute deficit, and the United States rallied to beat Costa Rica 2-1 to ease pressure as World Cup qualifying neared the halfway point.

Yunus Musah visited New York in June with teammate Tim Weah and had a wide-eyed view of the big city. “I remember going to the — what’s that called — that big tall building?” Musah said with a chuckle. “The view from there was crazy,” Musah said.

Players walked off the field dejected and nervous American fans are in an uproar.

(Laurence Griffiths/Pool via AP)CHICAGO – Defender Bryan Reynolds received his first call-up to the U.S. national team after the 19-year-old made his debut for Roma last weekend. Chituru Odunze, an 18-year-old goalkeeper with Leicester, also could debut in exhibitions against Jamaica on March 25 at Wiener Neustadt, Austria, or three days later at Northern Ireland. Forward Matthew Hoppe, who has scored five goals for Schalke this season, was not called in for a possible debut. Germany), Luca de la Torre (Heracles, Netherlands), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton, England). Forwards: Daryl Dike (Barnsley, England), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen, France), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen, Germany), Tim Weah (Lille, France).