With two matches remaining, Gregg Berhalter and his team find themselves in a solid position to qualify for Qatar.
There is a possibility that this team could book their place in the World Cup on Sunday if they win and Costa Rica fail to claim three points at home to Honduras.
The US had some glorious opportunities to hand the Mexicans a loss at the Azteca but could not find that decisive breakthrough on Thursday.
It seemed as though this group were missing a solid midfield presence versus El Tri, who limited them to 37% possession in what at times looked like a game of keep away.
Even without some key figures missing because of injury, the Yanks should still see more of the ball on Sunday when they face a team in Panama who tend to hang back and wait for an opportunity to pounce.
Stars and Stripes have not been gracious hosts to opposing teams over the past few years, unbeaten in their previous 20 home matches played on American soil.
Defending has been one of the most vital attributes of this side lately, collecting four clean sheets in their previous five games across all competitions, failing to allow a shot on target versus El Salvador and Honduras.
After sitting in a comfortable top-four position heading into the final qualification window, Panama now find themselves on the outside of the World Cup picture, a point back of Costa Rica for a place in the inter-confederation playoffs.
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They got the start they wanted on Thursday, taking the lead after 23 minutes, but as has been the case on a few occasions in the Octagon, the Panamanians became complacent and paid the price, and they are now a point behind Costa Rica for a playoff berth.
Los Canaleros have now dropped six points from a winning position in this qualifying phase, as their World Cup fate is no longer in their hands.
Heading into the Octagon, many believed that this squad were in a state of transition and development, but manager Thomas Christiansen has instilled a philosophy that his players have bought into, which has enabled them to compete hard against the other sides in this region
