The U.S. National Team will head into its first World Cup Qualifying matches next week ranked No. 33 in the world, a drop of four spots in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola rankings.
The USMNT lost the only two games it played in October – the CONCACAF Cup to Mexico on Oct. 9 and an international friendly against Costa Rica on Oct. 13 – and has just one win in its last six games.
Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey logged 120 minutes in the loss to Mexico last month, while Sounders defender/midfielder Brad Evans appeared in both games for Jurgen Klinsmann’s group. Former Sounders defender DeAndre Yedlin also appeared in both games.
The US will open qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia on Nov. 13 against St. Vincent and the Grenadines at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo. USSF is expected to announce the 23-man roster for that game and the following qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain on Nov. 17 in the coming days.
Other international teams with prospective Sounders ties include No. 9 Austria (Andreas Ivanschitz), No. 47 Paraguay (Nelson Valdez), No. 59 Nigeria (Obafemi Martins), No. 61 Jamaica (Oniel Fisher) and No. 91 Guatemala (Marco Pappa).
