• The torches and pitchforks went back into storage, as the United States thrashed Guatemala 4-0 in Columbus, putting the team in great position to move on in qualifying with two matches left in this round. Goals came from Clint Dempsey, Geoff Cameron, Graham Zusi and Jozy Altidore. Christian Pulisic made his senior debut, becoming the youngest player to appear in a World Cup qualifier for the U.S.
  
  “We needed a big reaction and I think everybody had that same reaction of being aggressive, high intensity, getting the ball moving fast,” Kyle Beckerman said. “I think that aggression kind of led to everything good that happened to us.”
  
  

• How do you think everyone fared? Give us your player ratings.
  
  
• Sure crisis was averted, but the win against a bad Guatemala team was no great feat, writes Brian Sciaretta.
  
  
• Hours later, the U-23s lost 2-1 to Colombia in the second leg of the Olympic qualifying playoff, missing out on the Olympics for the second time in a row. “You get one chance at this,” Jordan Morris said after the match. “You dream about it since you’re a little kid. So it’s a tough one to swallow.”

In the span of four years the U.S. has now missed its first back-to-back Olympics ever and its first U17 World Cup ever.

— Will Parchman (@WillParchman) March 30, 2016