Jamaica 1 - 1 USA

 This was not televised, at least for free, so I didn't see anything but highlights.  A disallowed late goal from Jamaica (I would have allowed it--we got lucky) left us with a point we may not have deserved.  I'm amazed at Canada, which is top of the group after beating Mexico at home.  Ideally, we'd finish in the top three, but Mexico and Panama are just one point behind us, and we're a point behind Canada.  A win over los canaleros at home is a must in my view, and we also need to beat Canada away to ensure a happy ending.  I do not expect anything out of our game at the Azteca, but a point would be fabulous.  We do not want a playoff with a team in the African, South American, or Oceania federation.  There's a healthy enough gap between fourth place and fifth that it would take a collapse for any of the top four not to stay there.  But it could be fine margins that will separate third and fourth.

Speaking of collapses, Italy drew with Switzerland and Northern Ireland this window to drop from automatic World Cup qualification to runner-up in their group to the Swiss, and now Italy will have to enter a playoff to reduce the eight second place teams to two qualifiers for Qatar.  A few months ago, the Azzurri were celebrating their European championship.  Now they face a second straight elimination from World Cup qualification.