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The U.S. ran Slovakia ragged in a 2-0 win that featured a seemingly-endless wave of missed chancess.

Nine points from nine; you can't do much better than that. The U.S. under-20 men's national team made it three wins from three at the U-20 World Cup to complete the group stage, but now the real test begins as they look ahead to the knockout stages.

Led by an absolutely chaotic Cade Cowell performance, the U.S. topped Slovakia 2-0 in their final group stage game, sealing their spot atop the group. It wasn't the prettiest win by any means. In fact, it was the second game in a row where the U.S. will feel like they left handfuls of goals on the table, only to win by multiple goals in the end.

Cowell, to be fair, was responsible for most of those missed opportunities, as the San Jose Earthquakes star squandered chance after chance. Yet, chance after chance kept falling to him as he absolutely tortured Slovakia's backline with his pace, timing and dribbling.

The all-important opening goal did fall to, who else, Cowell, as he weaved past several defenders to finish off the hardest chance of the day. Missing four or five won't matter as much as long as you score the one that counts, and Cowell certainly did that.

He wasn't the only standout from this win, which saw Mikey Varas shift tactics to a 3-5-2. The U.S., by and large, dominated, with Slovakia rarely threatening and never really having much of the ball. In the end, Cowell's club teammate, Niko Tsakiris, sealed the win with a goal of his own deep in stoppage time to remove all doubt.

Tougher tests await, as the U.S. head to the knockouts for the fifth consecutive U-20 World Cup. At some point, they may rue the missed chances that have defined their run so far but, as long as those chances keep coming in waves, there's a pretty good chance they'll be just fine.

GOAL rates the U.S. players from the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario…

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Gaga Slonina (8/10):

  Made an absolutely stunning save in the first half as Slovakia nearly scored against the run of play. Made a few good stops in the second half, too. This sport is a lot easier when you have a goalkeeper as good as Slonina in net.

  Caleb Wiley (7/10):

  Was all over the place and created a few chances. Would have had a goal of his own if Cowell had spotted his run in the second half. Overall, a good performance.

  Josh Wynder (7/10):

  Absolutely rock solid. Did everything right, on and off the ball. A good show of just how good he can be.

  Brandan Craig (8/10):

  Very good yet again and would have had a fantastic assist if not for Cowell's miss (yes this is a theme). Played several spectacular long balls and set piece delivery was good. A standout performance.

  Justin Che (7/10):

  Another defender with a high rating. Had two back-to-back chances at a goal miraculously cleared by Slovakia. Unlucky not to put one of those in.

  Michael Halliday (6/10):

  Was just fine on the right side, but nowhere near as menacing as Wiley on the left.

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  Midfield

  Daniel Edelman (7/10):

  A solid shield for the backline. Another good game from the captain, who remains a vital piece of the midfield.

  Obed Vargas (7/10):

  The youngest player in this team, but you couldn't tell by his performance. Was rock solid as the U.S. strangled Slovakia's midfield.

  Owen Wolff (6/10):

  Stop me if you heard this before: would have had an assist, but Cowell was offside. More attacking than his midfielder partners by design, but really only had that one standout moment before being taken out.

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  Attack

  Diego Luna (7/10):

  Chemistry with Cowell is off the charts. Opens up space so well, and can create danger when he does have the ball, too. Was unlucky to hit the post, denying him a chance to follow last game's stunner with another goal.

  Cade Cowell (8/10):

  How do you even grade this match? An absolute menace. Darwin Nunez-esque. Created loads of chances, totally fumbled a few of them, but still got the goal that mattered on the chance that seemed least likely to result in a goal. Will need to be more clinical, of course, but Slovakia defenders will have nightmares given what he did to them.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jack McGlynn (6/10):

  Was given a rest ahead of the knockout stages before coming in midway through the second half. Had been the best American player through the first two games, so he'll be back for the knockouts.

  Niko Tsakiris (8/10):

  Very smooth on the ball as he finds fitness and form. Got his goal in stoppage time to seal the result. Fantastic composure in the box to add the exclamation point.

  Darren Yapi (6/10):

  Came on for the final 20 minutes or so to give the U.S. a natural striker, but no real chances.

  Quinn Sullivan (7/10):

  Joined the fray alongside Yapi. Had one good chance blocked away for a corner before playing a fantastic ball for Tsakiris' opener.

  Jonathan Gomez (N/A):

  Replaced Wiley to give the U.S. a more pure defender on the left-hand side.

  Mikey Varas (8/10):

  Got the lineup right and was able to rest a few key players. Got the formation spot on, as the U.S. dominated with their three-at-the-back setup. Will have have a full roster of players for the knockouts with Rokas Pukstas and Kevin Paredes incoming.

David de Gea did not look comfortable during the penalty shootout in Manchester United’s Europa League final defeat to Villarreal, claims Peterborough director of football Barry Fry.

Fry, an apprentice at United during his youth, recently discussed the Spaniard’s showing and the Red Devils’ heartbreak in Gdansk in an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern.

De Gea was unable to save a single penalty before going on to miss his own spot-kick, which proved decisive, in the epic shootout that ended 11-10.

It means United have now not won a major honour since their own Europa League triumph back in 2017.

On the role De Gea played in Ole Gunner Solskjaer side’s disappointing defeat in Poland, Fry said:

“Penalties is a lottery unfortunately and everybody took marvellous penalties. But I just thought David didn’t look comfortable in stopping anything and he didn’t look comfortable taking the penalty, to be honest.”

Since then, it has emerged that the Spain international has now failed to save the last 40 spot-kicks he has faced, a truly damning statistic.

Still, given his quality, you would expect De Gea to bounce back, while supporters will surely be quick to forgive him after everything he has accomplished at the club.

David de Gea dusted himself off after a harrowing night in Seville to help Manchester United see off Brighton in a cagey FA Cup semi-final

David de Gea is far from a perfect goalkeeper, but one thing you cannot question is his mentality. Three days after the worst performance of his life in Manchester United's capitulation against Sevilla, the Spaniard was his team's hero at Wembley as the Red Devils held Brighton to a 0-0 draw before winning 7-6 on penalties.

As it turned out, De Gea did not actually save the decisive penalty which Solly March sent over the bar, but he made four top-draw saves during a tense 120 minutes in which Brighton often looked the better side but lacked a killer instinct.

Victor Lindelof kept his nerve to clinch victory for United and set up the first-ever FA Cup final between the Red Devils and Manchester City.

By doing so, United matched Arsenal's record of reaching 21 FA Cup finals, and they will now be aiming to win their second domestic cup under Erik ten Hag.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Wembley…

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  WINNER: David de Gea

  Football's history is littered with examples of fine goalkeepers who were eventually swallowed by their own mistakes and self-doubt.

  Iker Casillas was forced to leave Real Madrid two years after being dropped by Jose Mourinho and was never the same at Porto. Loris Karius never recovered from his Champions League final embarrassment in Kiev. Joe Hart was forced out by Pep Guardiola and it was all downhill from there.

  De Gea had a horrific night at the Sanchez Pizjuan, playing his part in all the goals of United's 3-0 surrender to Sevilla. But at Wembley, he showed the psyche of a world-class player, redeeming himself for his suspect kicking by demonstrating his undeniable qualities as a shot stopper.

  His first act was to tip away Alexis Mac Allister's dangerous free-kick, and in the second half he made acrobatic stops from Julio Enciso and March. Right before the shootout, he made a brave save with his foot to stop Kaoru Mitoma.

  And he was happy to acknowledge his problems with passing out from the back, pumping the ball away to safety whenever he was under pressure.

  The Spaniard still might not be United's best long-term solution in goal and there is a strong argument against renewing his contract.

  But he is still capable of match-winning performances like this, and after the week he has had, that says a lot about his mentality.

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  LOSER: United's misfiring forwards

  If De Gea was outstanding at one end, United's forwards left a lot to be desired down the other.

  Anthony Martial did almost nothing of note, sending his one chance woefully over the bar when he had other options. The Frenchman also lacked pace and energy and his passing was sloppy, bungling more than one promising move.

  Antony was also disappointing. The Brazilian made a few dangerous runs against Brighton, but time and time again he made the wrong decision. He opted for a soft shot straight into Robert Sanchez when Bruno Fernandes was screaming for the ball and after running through Brighton's defence he made a botched pass to Martial.

  Marcus Rashford performed best of the three starting forwards and was close to grabbing the winner just before full-time, only to be thwarted by a fine Sanchez save. He also flashed a shot just wide in extra-time after a storming run, but the England forward was almost anonymous in the first half.

  Against an imperious Man City defence in the final, United's attackers will need to be a lot sharper if they are to have any hope of winning.

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  WINNER: Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka

  De Gea did not perform the only resurrection at Wembley. But while the Spaniard's reputation had only plummeted three days previously, Lindelof and Wan-Bissaka had been written off long ago.

  Wan-Bissaka was widely expected to leave Old Trafford last summer and did not manage to start a Premier League game under Erik ten Hag until January.

  Lindelof, meanwhile, has only started six league games under the Dutchman and is the club's fourth-choice centre-back.

  Wan-Bissaka's recovery began a few months back, and has slowly but surely won the battle with Diogo Dalot as the manager's first-choice right back.

  This was his graduation, an almost flawless display against one of the most exciting attacks in the Premier League.

  Lindelof had a more understated performance but was just as effective, always keeping tight to his marker and making sure that whenever he chose to dive in, he won the ball, unless he was making a tactical foul.

  The Swede was calm and comfortable on the ball and under pressure, in contrast with how Harry Maguire has looked in recent weeks.

  And when the pressure of taking the crucial penalty rested on his shoulders, he slotted it home with power and precision.

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  LOSER: Solly March

  Poor old Solly March.

  No-one has contributed to more Brighton goals this season than the midfielder, and he had scored three and provided three assists in his previous seven matches.

  But he will be hugely disappointed with himself for skying his penalty, especially as De Gea had been unable to get a hand on any of the previous six Brighton spot-kicks.

  He had another decent opportunity to score during the match, and while De Gea did well to get low and parry his shot, March might also feel that he could have done better with that attempt.

  But he cannot and should not be painted as the villain in Brighton's courageous performance. Someone has to win a shootout, and it only takes one player to miss.

Celtic interim boss John Kennedy has cleared up any confusion regarding a possible exit for Karamoko Dembele this summer.

The Lowdown: Dembele rumours

Dembele, 18, netted his first senior goal for the Hoops in a 4-0 win over St Johnstone on Wednesday evening.

The winger was linked with a summer exit back in January, with former Celtic man Mark Wilson adamant Dembele would move on at the end of the current campaign.

French sides Lille and Nantes were thought to be keen on the youngster’s services, and, at the time, it was believed his deal was set to expire at the end of the season.

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The Latest: Kennedy confirms length of contract

However, talking after the win over St Johnstone, as reported by The Scottish Sun, Kennedy cleared up Dembele’s contract situation, describing the teenager as ‘terrific’ in the process.

“There is a lot of speculation in terms of Karamoko being out of contract in the summer.

“I don’t know where that has come from because he has another year left.

“In terms of him, again a young player and every young player has a different pathway.

“Karamoko has been spoken about as the next superstar, but people develop physically at different rates.

“He is probably one who still has a bit of development, but is a terrific talent — we know that.

“It’s not a token gesture [his substitute appearance], he has done well in training recently.”

The Verdict: Gives Hoops vital time

With Dembele actually having another 12 months on his Celtic deal left to run, that may give the Hoops the time required to persuade him his long-term future lies in Glasgow.

He’s only made seven senior appearances for the club to date, and you’d expect he’d have to be guaranteed more game time for him to pen a new deal at Parkhead.

With sides in France recently keen and Kennedy admitting he has been spoken about as a ‘superstar’, the next 12 months for Celtic could prove crucial in regards to ensuring his future is with the Bhoys.

That said, a fresh faced new arrival in the dugout – one like Eddie Howe perhaps – could be just what he needs to really kickstart his career in Glasgow.

In other news: Celtic keen on versatile ace who could move to Parkhead for next to nothing, find out more here.

Following a number of remarkable performances for Elliott Dickman’s Sunderland under-23 side this season, Lee Johnson must unleash Josh Hawkes in the Black Cats’ upcoming play-off semi-final clash against Lincoln.

After impressing during his time at Hartlepool United, scoring 13 goals and providing one assist over 63 appearances for the National League side, Hawkes made the move to the Stadium of Light on a free transfer in September 2020.

While the 22-year-old has found first team game-time hard to come by under Lee Johnson, making just one appearance for the Black Cats’ senior side during his time on Wearside thus far, the attacking midfielder has nevertheless displayed his capabilities for the club’s under-23s.

Over his 20 Premier League 2 fixtures for the Sunderland under-23s, Hawkes has scored a whopping 13 goals – the joint-most in the competition alongside Aston Villa’s Louie Barry – and has registered six assists, with the youngster’s goals often being game-changing, as well as firing the youth side to the play-offs.

Indeed, the performances of the 22-year-old have not gone unnoticed by Johnson or Kristjaan Speakman, the latter of whom has spoken openly regarding the potential of Hawkes making the step up to first team football in an interview with the SAFC Unfiltered podcast (via Sunderland Echo).

He said: “Josh’s performances with goals and assists has been really, really good. He’s right up there in both charts. A player at his age now, he needs to be able to come into the first-team environment. He’s trained an awful lot with the first team.

“He’s not quite managed to squeeze himself onto the starting XI, which speaks probably more about the quality in the team than to say Josh has fallen short. Myself and Lee are watching almost all the games, Josh has performed really really well and he’ll be in the first-team squad for pre-season.

“Naturally there’s going to be a reshuffle of the squad in the summer and pre-season provides those players with a great opportunity to get involved in the games and perform. That’s the next step he needs to take.”

Despite Speakman’s outlook for next season, considering just how impressive Hawkes has been for the development side, the argument could easily be made that the midfielder should at least be included on the bench for the club’s upcoming play-off semi-final clash with Lincoln City. The 22-year-old has proven that he is a game-changer, while his pace and fitness which comes with youth, coupled with an obvious eye for goal, could make all the difference for the Black Cats as they chase a return to the Championship.

Indeed, there would appear to be nothing to lose for Johnson in sticking the 22-year-old – whom the Sunderland manager himself dubbed an “exciting” player – on the bench for the showdown against  the Imps, while the reward could well be monumental for the club.

In other news: Sunderland handed huge boost ahead of play-off semi-finals, Johnson will be buzzing – opinion

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith appears to have suffered a major blow before the start of the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

With the Premier League season in its closing stages, all eyes will firmly be squared towards how Villa can take another big step towards breaking into the European places for next year.

But, they will have to do so without the expertise of Rob Mackenzie, who Football Insider report is closing in on a “shock” move to Bristol City.

The report claims that the club’s transfer guru, who joined as head of recruitment to work alongside sporting director Johan Lange, is heading to Bristol to be reunited with Nigel Pearson, who he has previously worked with at Leicester.

Dean Smith may be concerned

Given that the season is now almost over, news that one of the club’s highest-ranking officials involved in the whole transfer process is set to leave just before the window starts is a real body blow for Smith.

The Villa boss will have been to kick-start the summer window with a bang, but Mackenzie’s imminent exit may just set things back for the club, who should have at least had a plan ready beforehand.

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The news from Bodymoor Heath about Mackenzie is a real shock, and it’s one Smith will desperately be hoping doesn’t have a major impact on proceedings at Villa Park over the coming weeks and months.

Transfers can often be complex and losing a key figure so close to the window opening is a blow for Smith and both he and the Villa hierarchy will need to get all their ducks in a row ASAP with the end of the season approaching quickly.

Meanwhile, Villa are interested in this recently relegated Premier League star…

Jurgen Klopp's men have had their own issues this season but they will not be going up against the same side that beat them in Paris last year.

Real Madrid were at the peak of their powers the last time they met Liverpool, in the 2022 Champions League final.

Karim Benzema was scoring goals for fun, Vinicius Junior was in the form of his life, and the famous midfield trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro was dominating all before them.

Given Thibaut Courtois then produced an all-time goalkeeping performance in Paris, it's easy to understand why Madrid not only won, but did so courtesy of a relatively comfortable 1-0 win.

On Tuesday night, though, when the two teams meet again at Anfield, Madrid will look very different.

Casemiro has gone and so too has the air of invincibility around Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Indeed, Madrid are malfunctioning rightnow. They are eight points behind Liga leaders Barcelona and are playing with nothing like the same panache or self-belief as last season.

While Liverpool certainly have problems of their own, they have no need to fear Madrid – and here's why…

• Faults at full-back

  Prior to the 2022 Champions League final, all the focus was on a struggling Dani Carvajal, who was matched up against a then-red hot Luis Diaz. But the right-back held his own, and kept one of the Reds' most influential players relatively quiet.

  This time, it might not be so easy — albeit against different personnel. Carvajal has been in and out of the team over the last month, struggling with both injury and fatigue.

  On Tuesday, he will square up to a different kind of player in Darwin Nunez. The forward isn't as refined as Diaz, nor is he really as good. But Nunez can create chaos and, for all of his faults, is fast, strong and coming into form. Basically, he's not the guy you want to go up against if you're in physical decline.

  On the other side, David Alaba will face a different issue. The left-back has only recently come back into the team after nearly a month out, and is yet to be truly tested. Madrid have been easily exploited down his flank in recent weeks, too, especially with Vinicius given licence to stay higher up the pitch. With Mo Salah showing signs of being back to his best, Alaba has a long 90 minutes ahead.

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  A makeshift midfield

  Aurelien Tchouameni was a perfect signing for Madrid.

  He replaced an ageing legend in Casemiro, injecting boundless energy into a leggy midfield, and restoring defensive solidity that was just starting to wane.

  Perhaps most importantly of all, he was nicked from the noses of Liverpool.

  However, Tchoaumeni will not play on Tuesday having been ruled out with illness, with fellow midfield stalwart Toni Kroos joining him on the sidelines.

  Real do, at least, have depth in midfield. Eduardo Camavinga has been excellent in recent weeks, while Modric always seems to show up on Champions League nights.

  What happens in the other position remains to be seen, though. Dani Ceballos is the current flavour of the month, but hasn't maintained his electric form, while Fede Valverde, another former Liverpool target, is also an option.

  Regardless, it looks like Madrid will have to piece together a midfield trio that has never before started a game together. And against a Reds unit that is just starting to find its feet again, that could be an issue.

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  Benzema's struggles

  For all of last year, Benzema was a certainty for Real Madrid. Regardless of the game, opponent, or situation, Benzema delivered. It's what won him the Ballon D'Or.

  This year, though, the Frenchman has needed protecting slightly. The 35-year-old has struggled with various knocks and missed nearly two months with a muscle injury. And while he's still been in the side for big games, Benzema's production and on-field presence has certainly dropped off.

  His numbers are, of course, not to be sniffed at. He has still scored 11 times in La Liga. But, remarkably, he doesn't have a Champions League goal to his name so far this season.

  Indeed, against the best teams, on the biggest stage, Madrid's star man has been slightly off-kilter. A trip to Anfield could bring the best out of Benzema but there's no denying that his poor form cannot be construed as anything but encouraging for Liverpool.

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  Ancelotti's errors

  Welcome back, big-game Carlo.

  The last time Ancelotti played Liverpool, his side was at full strength. He later admitted that he had to do little in the way of tactical preparation; he knew exactly how Jurgen Klopp's side would set up, revealing that the Reds' "very clear identity" made them "easier to decipher" than the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.

  It certainly went swimmingly for Ancelotti in the end, with Madrid securing their 14th European Cup by shutting down Liverpool's star forwards and then hitting them with a killer goal on the break.

  This year, though, the manager has some choices to make. And he hasn't always got them right this season. In the Spanish Super Cup, he failed to react to Barcelona's modified 4-2-3-1 formation, and saw his side lose 3-1. Against Villarreal, a week before, he stuck with his usual side and saw a more direct Villarreal beat his team 2-1.

  Ancelotti has been a manager long enough to know when to stick to his guns, and when to tinker. And he seldom does the latter, entrusting his core group with his signature, laissez-faire form of football, which so often gets results out of big-game players.

  This year, though, big-game Carlo seems to have lost his Midas touch. Will he really be able to find it at Anfield?..

A classic smash-and-grab saw Spain earn an unlikely 1-0 victory over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the Nations League.

La Roja will join Croatia, Italy and the Netherlands in the Nations League finals – though for much of Tuesday's game it didn't look like they'd get the job done.

Spain had barely created anything of note throughout, but in the 88th minute, Alvaro Morata popped up to crash home Nico Williams' clever knockdown and send his country top of League A2.

Out-of-form Ronaldo had his side's two best chances in front of goal but he spurned them both, firing straight at the goalkeeper on each occasion as his alarming struggle for form continues.

This was hardly a ringing endorsement for either side's World Cup chances either, with Spain often drearily stroking the ball around without any penetration while their opponents were worryingly toothless in front of goal.

The visitors monopolised possession in the opening stages without really imposing themselves, but Portugal had the better chances, with Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota and Bruno Fernandes all having opportunities the first half.

The second period started at some pace but would ultimately follow a similar pattern. Ronaldo spurned a glorious chance just two minutes in, firing straight at the goalkeeper from close range after being slipped in by Jota.

Eventually, Portugal's wastefulness was punished with two minutes to go, as a diagonal pass was headed back across goal by Williams and Morata slammed the ball into the roof of the net from mere yards out.

Ronaldo had one more chance to level, but his fierce strike from a tough angle was straight at Simon at his near post.

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  The Winners

  Nuno Mendes:

  Despite stiff competition, Mendes did his chances of being Portugal's starting left-back at the World Cup no harm with an accomplished display that belied his tender years.

  The 20-year-old was strong on the ball and always backed himself to find his way out of sticky situations and progress the play up the pitch.

  Mendes had the better of a running battle with Torres down his flank, never shirking a challenge.

  Diogo Jota:

  Full of enterprise throughout, Jota demonstrated why he is such an asset for both club and country.

  The Liverpool man posed Portugal's most potent attacking threat and could, and perhaps should, have had a goal and an assist on the night.

  Jota showed excellent control to bring down Bruno's pass before forcing a fine save from Simon, and his driving run from the left wing before slipping Ronaldo in was scintillating.

  South American nations:

  This match was another demonstration of European nations looking well off it in the build-up to the World Cup in Qatar.

  Despite both having a wealth of quality at their disposals, both sides looked bereft of attacking ideas and pedestrian in midfield for large portions of this encounter.

  The likes of Brazil and Argentina will be licking their lips.

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  The Losers

  Bernardo Silva:

  Not his best game as he really struggled to impose himself and influence the game.

  He's perhaps lucky that his starting place is more or less guaranteed, as this was not the most convincing showing in a final cap before the World Cup proper.

  Rafael Leao & Joao Felix:

  Both were overlooked from the start despite impressing in the opening weeks of the 2022-23 season at club level.

  Leao, who did start in a recent win over the Czech Republic, looked sharp off the bench and immediately took the game to Spain, but he needs more minutes and starts to really make his mark for Portugal. He's still not scored his first senior goal for his country.

  Felix, meanwhile, seemingly has no chance to start in Qatar.

  Cristiano Ronaldo & Fernando Santos:

  Much of the debate before kick-off centred on whether an out-of-form Ronaldo should be starting for the Selecao ahead of the World Cup, and Santos opted to ignore the critics and throw him in from the start.

  Although Ronaldo didn't play badly, he still looked like a man who is searching desperately for form, chasing lost causes and running down cul-de-sacs.

  His clearest opening came early in the second half when he was slipped in by Jota, but his effort was straight at the onrushing Simon. It's a chance the Ronaldo of years gone by would have taken.

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  Portugal ratings: Defence

  Diogo Costa (5/10):

  Largely a spectator, with Spain barely threatening his goal before Morata smashed in.

  Joao Cancelo (5/10):

  A more defensive, less adventurous shift than we are used to seeing in the Premier League. Beaten in the air by Williams.

  Danilo Pereira (5/10):

  A no frills display but Spain's attack was blunt.

  Ruben Dias (4/10):

  A fairly straightforward night's work for the Man City man and almost scored, but lost Morata for the winner.

  Nuno Mendes (7/10):

  Good battle with Ferran Torres. Excellent on the ball and faultless defensively.

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  Midfield

  Ruben Neves (5/10):

  Stung the keeper's fingertips with a trademark strike from range and did his defensive work, but fairly quiet.

  William Carvalho (5/10):

  Busied himself breaking up Spain's play in midfield but occasionally a little loose in possession.

  Bruno Fernandes (5/10):

  Had a blast that looked in but was the wrong side of the net. Scurried about but rarely affected play.

With a spot in Qatar now secured, GOAL looks back at the team's road to the World Cup

The U.S. men's national team is headed back to the World Cup.

After eight years away, the U.S. are returning to the world's biggest tournament as they sealed their spot in Qatar after a gruelling 14-game run through CONCACAF.

It was a slog that had several highs and a few notable lows as a young U.S. team learned some of the harsh realities about World Cup qualifying in North America.

When all was said and done, though, the U.S. booked their spot in Qatar, putting to rest any lingering pessimism from that failed 2018 cycle.

Here's a look back at how the USMNT navigated their way back to the World Cup…

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  El Salvador 0-0 USMNT (September 2)

  After a summer that saw the U.S. win both the Gold Cup and Nations League, a young group marched into World Cup qualifying with plenty of confidence.

  They talked of a nine-point window, of continuing to ride the momentum built up during a near-perfect summer run.

  That didn't happen.

  The U.S. were frustrated in their first match of the cycle, a 0-0 draw against a very game El Salvador, as they learned that qualifying wouldn't be as easy as they imagined.

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  USMNT 1-1 Canada (September 5)

  If the stalemate against El Salvador was a humbling one, the draw with Canada a few days later was enough to set off alarm bells.

  After two games, the U.S. amassed just two points, with goals from Brenden Aaronson and Cyle Larin cancelling each other out in Nashville. It was a rough start to qualifying and, with 2018 still hanging over everyone's head, it was enough reason for a little bit of panic.

  Furthering that panic? The suspension to Weston McKennie, who would be excluded due to violating team Covid protocols.

  In hindsight, though, McKennie's situation worked itself out, and this was more about Canada than the U.S., as this was an early sign that the USMNT's northern neighbors would prove to be a major player in this qualifying cycle.

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  Honduras 1-4 USMNT (September 8)

  Exhale.

  The win in San Pedro Sula got the USMNT right back on track, even if talk of a nine-point window ended with only five.

  The U.S. blitzed Honduras away from home, making up for the points dropped against Canada at home, despite going down 1-0 early on.

  After half-time the U.S. were unplayable, with Antonee Robinson's 48th minute goal setting the tone for what was to follow.

  Rircado Pepi, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget joined Robinson on the scoresheet as the USMNT finished the first window on a high.

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  USMNT 2-0 Jamaica (October 7)

  The Ricardo Pepi game.

  The now former FC Dallas star had his coming out party in Austin, scoring twice against Jamaica to all but seal his spot as the No.9 going forward. In front of what was close to a hometown crowd, Pepi did the business, continuing his breakout start to life with the national team.

  With eight points from four games, the U.S. were on their way, and they had what looked to be a reliable striker leading the charge.

For a brief moment earlier this week, it had seemed as if the sport of football that we all know and love was under serious threat.

Six Premier League clubs – Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur – announced their intentions to join a European Super League alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter.

This led to a huge backlash from football fans around the world, who were rightly angry at the club’s disregard for loyal supporters, with the decision to join clearly based on the huge financial incentives rather than the benefit of the team.

The various clubs involved were clearly desperate to re-establish themselves as the footballing elite, as it seems remarkable that the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal were afforded an invitation despite their domestic struggles in recent seasons, as participation was based on finances alone.

Fortunately, thanks to millions of football fans voicing their concerns over the league, as well as the proposed sanctions from UEFA, the clubs were quick to withdraw, with Chelsea and Manchester City among the first to back out of the European Super League.

Thankfully, Man City chairman Sheikh Mansour saw sense and listened to the concerns of fans and players alike, with City talisman Kevin De Bruyne one of many Premier League players to post their feelings about the league on social media.

Considering that UEFA reportedly threatened to kick Manchester City out of the Premier League and Champions League as punishment for their actions, there is no doubt that Pep Guardiola is also delighted with the club’s eventual decision to withdraw, as his side have enjoyed a superb campaign and are on the cusp of glory on three fronts.

The Spaniard voiced his own concerns on the league in a press conference earlier this week, saying (via Sky Sports): “I have said many times, I want the best and strongest competition possible, especially the Premier League

“And it’s not fair if one team fights to make it to the top and then cannot qualify because success is just guaranteed for a few clubs.”

Therefore, considering that UEFA are now unlikely to punish the clubs so harshly now that they have withdrawn, Guardiola will undoubtedly be delighted that his team can get back to focusing on the rest of the season, where they will hopefully earn all the success which comes their way.

In other news… Forget Foden: “Exceptional” Man City beast ran the show at Villa Park