For the first time since 1986. the United States national soccer team will not be taking part in the World Cup.

Wednesday, Team USA failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia following a string of events that can only be described as bizarre. Sitting at 12 points, Team USA needed a win or a draw in their final match versus Trinidad & Tobago (FIFA rank: 99) to qualify on their own. That didn't happen...but these two insane goals did.

First, there was this ludicrously lucky own goal that went in off the foot of USA defender Omar Gonzalez on a failed clearance.

 

 

Then there was this long-distance shot that had absolutely no business going in.

 

 

USA wonderboy Christian Pulisic would score a goal, but in the end, the Americans fell 2-1, leaving their fates in the hands of other nations in their CONCACAF group. After the loss, Team USA needed one of two things to happen to ensure at least a play-off spot. They needed Mexico to either win or draw Honduras. That didn't happen, as Honduras won 3-2, thanks to this game-tying goal that wouldn't even seem plausible in a game of FIFA 18.

 

 

 

Since Mexico wasn't able to avoid defeat versus Honduras, the USA's last hope was that Costa Rica could either win or draw versus Panama, a team that has never qualified for the World Cup. Easy right?

NOPE. First, Panama managed to tie the game with a goal that clearly didn't go in.

 

 

Then Panama manged to get the go ahead goal in the dying minutes of the games on a long ball.

 

 

But here comes the best part...in an effort to kill the clock during injury time, a Panama substitute wildly kicked a ball away from a Costa Rican player.

 

 

And finally, just when you thought things couldn't get anymore ridiculous...an elderly woman ran onto the field and laid down on the grass until she was removed by security, also in an attempt to run out the clock.

 

 

The end result of all that madness? Team USA will not be competing for the World Cup, something that hasn't happened in over 30 years. Wow. Just wow. In the end, Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama qualified for the World Cup, while Honduras took the playoff position.