(This wasn't actually published on 19 June 2013. It had to wait until 31 March 2016. For an explanation why, see here.)

Over the course of twelve days, the USMNT played three matches and took nine points out of a possible nine. I wrote that despite a porous defense, the US looked to be good for seven points in the three games, and since they were lucky to get away with the win in Jamaica, I'll say my assessment was pretty solid.

Problems still clearly remain. Klinsmann seems to have settled on a center-back pairing of Besler and Gonzalez, and while it's true they anchored a defense that only gave up one goal in three games, it was hard to look at their performance on the pitch and think, "Awww yeah, we've got this nailed down." The way Gonzalez didn't close [a player whose name is now lost to time] last night toward the end of the first half seemed a little too indicative of where the defense is right now. Good enough to qualify out of CONCACAF? Sure. Good enough to face a Spain or Brazil or the real Germany? (Sorry, that friendly was a good win, but it doesn't really count.) No way.

It's a little premature to write our ticket to Brazil right now, but with 13 points, the lead in the group, and four games remaining, you've got to say the US have put themselves in a good position to qualify. If they take six points in their matches against Mexico (here) and Costa Rica (away) in September--a stretch, but not impossible--then their two matches in October could practically be friendlies. And then from there we'll have however many friendlies prior to the World Cup, and that might give us the time we need to get our defense up to actually acceptable.