Martin Rogers

USA TODAY Sports

GUATEMALA CITY — Michael Bradley warned that the United States does not have a “divine right” to play in the World Cup after the team’s qualification for the 2018 tournament was jeopardized by a disappointing upset defeat to Guatemala.

The U.S. went down 2-0 on Friday to slip to third place in Group C of the CONCACAF region, midway through the fourth round of the process – and the first stage in which the Americans enter.

Another unexpected loss to the same opponent in Columbus on Tuesday would push head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s side to the brink of missing out on the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

And while a strong response is anticipated and the U.S. will go in as a heavy favorite, captain Bradley was insistent that complacency must not creep in.

“It is never easy,” Bradley said. “No one on the inside expects it to be. For different people, they turn on the television every four years and watch World Cups and see us there and think we have a divine right to be there.

U.S. suffers embarrassing World Cup qualifying loss in Guatemala

“Obviously anybody who is in it every day understands that is not the case. These nights are part of it. We will make sure the response is right, look at ourselves in the mirror in an honest way and know things were not good enough but be ready on Tuesday.”

Bradley was involved in a strange defensive lapse that allowed Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz to run clear of the U.S. defensive line after 15 minutes to give the home side an advantage they would not relinquish. When asked what factors of their play need to improve, he replied: “Everything.”

With Guatemala up again next, followed by matches at St. Vincent and the Grenadines and home to Trinidad and Tobago in September, the U.S. needs to place in the top two in the group to reach the “Hex” – the six-strong last qualifying stage that will predominantly take place during 2017.

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Klinsmann’s team experienced some nervous moments during this part of the cycle four years ago, needing to beat Guatemala in Kansas City in 2012 to get through to the Hex.

“If we get a good result on Tuesday like we expect, then things are back on track,” U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said. “We’ve survived a lot of critical moments. It’s especially in the (fourth) round. In the Hex, we’ve always had games to spare.

“So that’s happened a few times. Next week’s important, obviously.”

Despite Bradley’s comments about the U.S. not having a “divine right” to play on the biggest stage of all, the make-up of the CONCACAF region, with far less strength in depth than Europe or South America, has enabled it to participate in the last seven World Cups consecutively.

Follow Martin Rogers on Twitter @mrogersUSAT