AL RAYYAN, Qatar — The United States men’s national team was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in their opening game of the World Cup against Group B opposition Wales.
– World Cup 2022: News and features | Schedule | Squads
Tim Weah put the U.S. in front, slotting home after collecting a deft pass from Christian Pulisic. But after struggling in the first half, Wales came back in the second, with Gareth Bale converting an 82nd-minute penalty to force each side to settle for a point.
JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures
Rapid Reaction
1. U.S. can’t close out Wales
The tactical layout of this match seemed pretty straightforward. The U.S. would have most of the possession while Wales would be content to sit back and try to nail the Americans on the break. And for much of the first half, that was exactly how things played out, with the U.S. enjoying a 66%-34% advantage in possession.
The only question was whether the U.S. could take advantage of its opportunities when they came. For a while, it looked like the answer would be “no”. Joe Rodon nearly gifted the U.S. a goal when he headed Weah’s hard cross right at keeper Wayne Hennessey, and Josh Sargent followed up with a header that hit the outside of the post.
Wales then appeared to be settling into comfortable territory on defense, even as it generated next to nothing in attack. But a moment of brilliance in the 36th minute made for a U.S. breakthrough. Sargent’s layoff to Pulisic suddenly found the American in space for one of the few times all half, and his pass found Weah in the clear to slot past Hennessey in the Wales goal.
It was a deserved tally for all of the work that the U.S. did in the first half, but it was made to suffer in the second, as Wales made some tactical changes (more on that later) and committed more numbers into attack.
The timely introduction of Brenden Aaronson for a tiring Weston McKennie gave the U.S. some much-needed energy in midfield. The switch titled the field back in their direction for a spell, but it wasn’t enough. A clumsy and unnecessary challenge by Walker Zimmerman on Gareth Bale — given that Bale had his back to goal — was correctly ruled a penalty, one that Bale converted with authority.
The 1-1 draw is a result that will stick in the U.S. team’s craw. It was minutes away from claiming all three points, and putting it in a position in which it could control its own destiny in Group B. With England rocking Iran 6-2, the battle for second place now remains wide open, with a difficult game against the Three Lions up next. While the result is by no means fatal, it’s not what the U.S. was hoping for given how long it was ahead in this match.
2. Second-half adjustments spark Wales revival
The Dragons had waited 64 long years since their last appearance in a World Cup, and in having a matchwinner in Bale in their side, they had the potential to pose a danger to just about any team. But the first half left one wondering just how they had made it this far. Wales looked absolutely toothless in attack, doing nothing to trouble the U.S. defense.
Some of this was down to the Americans’ suffocating midfield play through Tyler Adams as well as sharp and focused defending from Tim Ream. But Wales also did little to help itself with some wayward passes. Bale in particular was peripheral figure, touching the ball just 15 times in the first half.
The second-half introduction of striker Kieffer Moore gave Wales a bit more heft up front, and with Aaron Ramsey pushing further forward, the moves gave the U.S. defense something different to think about. The changes had their intended effect, with Wales pinning the U.S. back for long stretches during the second half. Ben Davies nearly equalized with a 65th-minute header that was tipped over the bar by U.S. keeper Matt Turner. Moore’s header from the ensuing corner went just over.
Just when it looked like the U.S. might survive, Wales was handed a lifeline when Zimmerman’s aforementioned clumsy challenge on Bale was rightly whistled as a penalty. Bale slammed home the ensuing spot kick, giving Wales a priceless point, one that looked unlikely for much of the evening. Now Group B is wide open.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
3. Weah breaks new ground
For practically the entirety of his professional career, Weah has found himself trying to emerge from the considerable shadow cast by father and former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah. But the younger Weah has been forging his own path in recent years, winning league titles with Paris Saint-Germain, Celtic, and most recently, Lille.
On this day, Tim ventured into territory never seen by his famous dad. George never made it to a World Cup, although there was an agonizing near miss with Liberia in during the 2002 cycle. Now Tim has a World Cup goal to his name.
Making Tim’s performance even more impressive is that he operates in a position that is the deepest on the U.S. squad, with his pace, off-the-ball running and finishing keeping talented players like Aaronson and Gio Reyna on the bench. Given his contribution, there seems little doubt he’ll keep his spot, although on another night he might have walked away with the game winner.
Player ratings
USA: Matt Turner 6, Antonee Robinson 6, Tim Ream 7, Walker Zimmerman 4, Sergino Dest 5, Yunus Musah 5, Tyler Adams 6, Weston McKennie 5, Christian Pulisic 6, Josh Sargent 5, Tim Weah 7
Subs: Brenden Aaronson 6, DeAndre Yedlin 5, Kellyn Acosta 4, Haji Wright 5, Jordan Morris 5
