US team ‘devastated’ after failing to qualify for Olympics

Honduras’ players lift coach Miguel Falero as they celebrate their passage to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after winning their CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Semifinal football match against the United States at the Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, on March 28, 2021. (Photo by Ulises Ruiz / AFP)

The United States is “absolutely devastated” at missing out on qualification for the Olympic men’s football tournament following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Honduras, said coach Jason Kreis.

Defeat in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament means the United States will miss a third successive Games, with their last appearance coming in Beijing.

Juan Carlos Obregon and Luis Palma scored for Honduras with US captain Jackson Yueill replying for his side.

“Absolutely devastated,” Kreis said after the match. “In our locker room, the guys are, it’s like a tragedy.

“I think we all wanted this so bad … and I think it could be that when you want it too bad, you put yourself in a position where you can’t perform to the level needed.

“We weren’t good enough to get it done, because I do believe we had enough quality in our team, we had enough ability in our team.

“But just at the end of it … tonight I didn’t think it was quite enough.”

Honduras will play Mexico in Tuesday’s final, with both teams advancing to the July 23-Aug. 8 Tokyo Olympics from the North and Central America and the Caribbean zone.