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Juergen Klinsmann wants to make sure U.S. doesn’t let up in World Cup qualifier

U.S. Coach Juergen Klinsmann, second from right, acknowledges the crowd after his team's 1-0 victory over Paraguay in a Copa America Centenario match on June 11.
(Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images)
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It would take an epic collapse to keep the U.S. out of the next round of World Cup qualifying. But Coach Juergen Klinsmann is taking nothing for granted heading into Tuesday’s game with Trinidad & Tobago in Jacksonville, Fla.

“We’re not through yet,” Klinsmann said. “And this is what you clearly tell the players so that even for one second we [don’t] kind of underestimate the situation.”

Trinidad & Tobago, which leads the U.S. by a point heading into the final game of the CONCACAF qualifying semifinals, has already clinched a berth in the final six-team “hexagonal” round. The only way the U.S. would fail to join that group is if it lost Tuesday and Guatemala beat St. Vincent and the Grenadines while overcoming a 12-score deficit in goal differential with the U.S.

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That’s not likely to happen. But the U.S. has more to play for than simply averting disaster since a victory Tuesday would allow Klinsmann’s team to win its four-team semifinal group for the sixth consecutive World Cup cycle, setting up a showdown with Mexico in the first game of the hexagonal in November.

“The situation is very clear,” he said. “We badly want to win this game. We want to finish first in our group.

“This is not the time to experiment. . . . It’s important that our team knows this is serious stuff.”

That figures to disappoint those hoping to see teenager Christian Pulisic get his first national team start. Pulisic, 17, had two goals and an assist off the bench in a 6-0 win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines last week.

However, Klinsmann will make at least three changes to his starting 11. He’s already announced Tim Howard will replace Brad Guzan in goal, and defenders DeAndre Yedlin (yellow card accumulation) and Matt Besler (family leave) are unavailable.

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Meanwhile, midfielder Michael Bradley and defender Michael Orozco are both returning from suspension and could play.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com

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