What do the USMNT need to do to qualify for the 2022 World Cup?
Gregg Berhalter's side head into three key CONCACAF World Cup qualifying fixtures with hopes high of securing a place at the Qatar World Cup in November.
Gregg Berhalter's United States stand on the cusp of securing a place at the 2022 World Cup with many soccer fans hoping for redemption after the US missed out at a place in the 2018 Russia competition.
The US sit in second place in the group of eight in the CONCACAF standings with the top three securing a place in Qatar and the fourth place side having to face the uncertainty of a play-off place against the winner from the ongoing Oceania qualifying process, with New Zealand strong favourites.
Three key US fixtures
First up for the USA is a tricky away test against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday with the US never recording a win on Mexican soil. Both sides are tied on 21 points in the standings with 'El Tri' in third place due to an inferior goal difference.
The 'stars and stripes' then return home to face fourth place Panama at the Explora Stadium in Orlando (Florida) on Sunday. Results from the first round of games will be a conditioning factor in seeing the US automatically seal a place in Qatar but Berhalter's side may be forced to the final match-day to clinch a World Cup spot.
Currently on 16 points, Costa Rica are still in the running to seal an automatic place in Qatar but will need to get positive results from their first two games this week before facing the US at home on Wednesday 30 March.
CONCACAF qualifying
With so many points still at play and the sides at the top of he table being separated by a slender margin, it's almost impossible to call who the two sides that will accompany Canada with the unbeaten 'Canucks' just needing one point from the nine to automatically seal their ticket to the Gulf.
El Salvador, Jamaica and Honduras are all mathematically out of the running, so a real battle exists between USA, Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica to secure the final two automatic places. Gerardo Martino and Gregg Berhalter's men control their own destiny, with one nation having to settle for a play-off and one country set to be left empty handed.