FOR AMERICAN SOCCER FANS, Oct. 10, 2017, still lives in infamy.
In front of roughly 1,500 spectators at a slapdash pitch in Trinidad, the U.S. men's national team failed to qualify for a World Cup for the first time since 1986. The Americans had advanced from the group in three of the previous four World Cups and played in every tournament since 1990. Not qualifying was catastrophic.
Needing only a point against the world's 99th-ranked team, Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. was undone by an abysmal Omar Gonzalez own goal and a 30-yard wonderstrike from Alvin Jones -- both of which arced perilously out of goalkeeper Tim Howard's grasp.