Qualifying for the soccer World Cup, any of them, should be easy for the U.S. national team.

Jurgen Klinsmann, however, is about to make it difficult.

The Yanks lost 2-1 tonight to Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, the first match in the Concacaf “Hexagonal” and the first defeat to Mexico on U.S. soil in five World Cup qualifying campaigns, going back to the 2002 .

The previous four, all at Fortress Columbus, had ended 2-0 to the U.S.

Or dos a cero, as this fixture was known in Mexico. Until tonight.

Reporters (like this one or this one, and this one) left the defeat at the feet of Klinsmann, the bubble-headed U.S. coach from Germany.

First, a 3-5-2 formation, which the U.S. rarely plays, or perhaps it was a 3-4-3, which the U.S never plays. Either way, it left things open in the back for the first Mexico goal, and a panicked return to the familiar 4-4-2 formation. Then, a tactical failure (by John Brooks) in the final minutes led to no one defending the back post on a corner, and that is where Mexico scored the winner.

So, there goes Mexico, with an away win, and there goes the U.S. with a home defeat, and next up for the Americans is a match in Costa Rica, which leads the group on goal difference.

And failing to win in Costa Rica is a “thing” for U.S. soccer teams. Which, if continued four days hence, would leave the U.S. with zero points from two matches and very little margin for error the rest of the way.

Beating Mexico in Columbus was a cornerstone of the past four World Cup qualifying campaigns. Now, that is gone.

What is still out there, though, is the historical U.S. failure, in the history of the hexagonal, to win in Costa Rica. And Mexico.

The Ticos beat the visiting Yanks 3-2 ahead of the 1998 World Cup, 2-0 in 2002 qualifying, 3-0 in 2006, 3-1 in 2010 and 3-1 in 2014.

Also ahead is a visit to Mexico City and a match in Azteca, another Concacaf house of horrors for the U.S.

In the previous five hexagonal competitions, Mexico defeated the U.S. three times (2002, 2006 and 2010) and played a scoreless draw twice (1998, 2014).

The U.S. has lost 10 matches, total, in the five hex competitions, and eight of those defeats have been away to Mexico or the Ticos, which leaves us doubting Jurgen will win at either place this time round, either.

That leaves the Yanks with seven games (out of 10) in which to rack up points and, in theory, that shouldn’t be impossible when the other three teams in the group are Panama, Trinidad & Tobago and Honduras.

But Klinsmann is the man who last year led the host team U.S. to an embarrassing fourth-place finish at the Gold Cup, in the summer, then came back and lost the one-game playoff with Mexico for a place in Russia at the Confederations Cup. It’s been a rough 16 months for Jurgen in Games That Matter.

As for the hex, think of it, if you will, as a four-team group that the U.S. has to win.

It has been shown over the years that winning away is always difficult in Concacaf. Primitive facilities, rabid local fans, difficult playing conditions — steamy beach cities, cities at altitude, lumpy pitches, intimidated refs …

Even though the other three Concacaf teams probably should be beatable, if one of them (say, Panama, which already has three points) got hot, the U.S. could be squeezed out of the three automatic World Cup berths … and be left scrapping for the playoffs berth (versus Asia’s No. 5 side) that goes with a fourth-place finish.

If it were me, and Jurgen made it two losses in two starts, I would be inclined to hit the reset button. Kick the German coach to the curb and try my luck with someone who understands the American team, which means Major League Soccer, which Klinsmann denigrates at every opportunity.

Perhaps Gregg Vanney, 42, former national team defender, who has Toronto in the MLS semifinals, is available. Or lovable crab Bruce Arena, 65, he of five MLS Cup championships, brought back for perhaps his final coaching gig, scowling his way through Central America.

(Two months ago, Bob Bradley might have been available, but he left Le Havre for Swansea City of the English Premier League.)

Sunil Gulati, U.S. Soccer president, should be thinking about this, even though he has defended Klinsmann at every turn. (Gulati foisted Jurgen on us, after all.)

But no points after two matches … it would be time to let Klinsmann mosey on down the road before he achieves the greatest American soccer failure of all — failing to qualify for the World Cup.