Considering all the attention that has been given to MLS’s insistence on using the shootout to break ties, itÆs just a bit ironic that three of the first five U.S. games in the Hexagonal have ended in a stalemate. Despite the usual postgame pronouncements from the U.S. camp about the disappointment in a tie, the 1-1 draw in San Salvador was a very good result. With a record of one win, three ties and one loss, Steve Sampson’s boys are in reasonable shape to advance to the 1998 World Cup finals ù a critical goal for the young American league still striving for credibility. At the midway point in the 10-game Hexagonal, the United States is in third place, just one point ahead of the three teams tied for fourth place, but it controls its own destiny in the race to win one of the three berths from the CONCACAF region at France ’98. Assuming (1) the United States wins its final three games at home (Costa Rica Sept. 7, Jamaica Oct. 3 and El Salvador Nov. 17) and (2) Mexico, as expected, wins its remaining home games and goes through, hereÆs how the United States stacks up against the other four teams it will be battling for the two remaining berths: The U.S. will finish with 15 points, even if it loses at Mexico Nov. 2 and Canada Nov. 9. El Salvador (with a maximum of 14) can’t catch the United States. The most any one of the other three teams could have is as follows: Canada (17 points), Jamaica (17 points) and Costa Rica (16 points). Two of them could not beat the United States on points. Jamaica and Canada could both finish with 15 points, but there is little chance the United States could lose out to Jamaica and Canada on goal difference ù the first tiebreaker, in which it currently has a big edge. by Soccer America Managing Editor Paul Kennedy