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PANAMA CITY, Panama -- The final round of World Cup qualifying has been full of blemishes -- big and small -- for the U.S. men's national team. There have been dropped points at home and a humbling defeat on the road, while even Tuesday's 1-1 tie with Panama left a sense that more could have been accomplished.
But the last six days have revealed an overarching truth: The U.S. has played its way back into World Cup qualifying contention by securing four points in two matches, thus releasing the pressure that had been building ever since it suffered that 4-0 road defeat to Costa Rica last November.