USMNT's World Cup qualifying: What's working, what's broken and the problem with playing it safe

We're through two qualification windows for the U.S. men's national team, and they've had two must-win matches to end each one. The USMNT has scraped and stumbled and suffered from a number of self-inflicted wounds. Gregg Berhalter & Co. have wasted points with an overmatched and overthought lineup in Panama. They've suffered poor breaks in a draw in El Salvador. They've suffered the full weight of CONCACAF, its rough pitches and its occasional rough-and-tumble tactics.

And yet, after two windows that felt in danger of spiraling negatively, the U.S. has 11 points and on pace for 29 over the 16-match qualification, well more than the team will need to qualify. (Up next? A home date with…