Soccer world reacts after U.S. men fail to qualify for the Olympics
The United States has not fielded a men’s soccer team in the Olympics since 2008.
And after the U.S. Under-23 squad fell 2-1 to Honduras in a CONCACAF qualifier on Sunday, the wait will continue.
It was really a stretch of just a couple of minutes that dashed the Americans’ hopes. Honduras struck first in stoppage time of the first half on a goal by Juan Carlos Obregon.
Then they went up 2-0 just a couple of minutes into the second half on a defensive lapse by the US.
Aside from that brief stretch it was a pretty even contest. Jackson Yueill of the San Jose Earthquakes lifted the U.S. back into the game when his amazing strike early in the second half pulled the Americans within 2-1.
But while the U.S. had a couple of solid chances to tie the score, including a header by Jonathan Lewis that was cleared off the goal line, Honduras held firm in the end.
After the game, FOX Sports’ Alexi Lalas reacted with disappointment, saying that the USA had enough talent to qualify for the Olympics, though he did say "we are still in some very, very bright and rightly positive days when it comes to the talent we have out there."
The defeat brought plenty of reactions from across the soccer world, with soccer experts displaying frustration and heartbreak, or offering advice on how to turn things around. Here is a sampling.
The good news for the Americans is that the women’s national team has long been – and continues to be – a dominant force in the sport. The USWNT has won four Olympic Gold Medals, most recently in 2012.
The USWNT also won four World Cups, including the two most recent held in 2015 and 2019.
And it’s not like the cupboard is bare in the U.S. men’s game. It just won’t be on display at the Olympics.
