This is why you win your home games.
The United States’ World Cup hopes may hinge on a wild playing surface in Trinidad and Tobago, as evidenced by a number of photographs from media and U.S. Soccer itself on Monday morning.
Last month, T&T moved the match to Ato Boldon Stadium, and that move now looks suspect for any number of reasons.
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There is a creek of water on the track surrounding the playing surface, which hasn’t itself been spared ahead of Tuesday’s 8 p.m. ET kickoff (though there is a pump visible in the corner of Steven Goff’s photo).
Again, a win puts the USMNT into the World Cup (all scenarios here), while T&T has been eliminated.
That is a pump. #usmnt in Couva, T&T pic.twitter.com/SOVIUc5Bdt
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) October 9, 2017
#USMNT players wondering where the gondola is. pic.twitter.com/2epy4itpQ5
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) October 9, 2017
#usmnt players now resorting to piggyback rides in order to be able to practice. pic.twitter.com/tOu5xoGieX
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) October 9, 2017
This piece of equipment will be working overtime. Yes that’s one of the corner flags to the left. #usmnt pic.twitter.com/YCbyCxqk6m
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) October 9, 2017