AL KHOR, Qatar — The United States and England played to a 0-0 draw in their Group B encounter at the 2022 World Cup, leaving both sides with work to do in order to advance to the Round of 16.
The USA was the better side in a game lacking in clear cut chances. The closest threat came when Christian Pulisic rattled the crossbar with a ferocious effort midway through the first half, but neither side was able to break the deadlock. The chances that were there in the first half dried up in the second, leaving both sides walking away with a point each.
Both teams are back in action next Tuesday (USA vs. Iran, England vs. Wales) as all teams remain alive to move on the knockout stages.
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Rapid Reaction
1. USA plagued by poor finishing but defense stands tall
In a match that many expected the USA to lose, the Americans performed credibly. The defense was solid, doing plenty to nullify England’s midfield. While the Three Lions held the possession edge 58-42%, the US had enough solid spells to mean the game wasn’t one-way traffic.
The United States even managed to carve out an edge in expected goals (0.88-0.55) but a lack of precision in front of goal — again — as well as some stellar defending, meant that the game ended goalless.
Iran‘s 2-0 win over Wales earlier in the day, left the US manager Gregg Berhalter’s side in an odd position. Should the USA push for the win or save itself for the group stage finale against Iran? Berhalter made his intentions clear, making just one change to his starting lineup, with striker Haji Wright replacing Joshua Sargent up top.
England were first to settle, with center back Walker Zimmerman providing a vital block on a Harry Kane shot in the 10th minute. But the USA grew into the game, and thanks to some incisive flank play from Sergino Dest, began carving out chances.
A great opportunity came in the 26th minute when Timothy Weah found Weston McKennie in the box, but the midfielder’s first time effort was blazed over the bar. It wasn’t the last time the US would come close. Pulisic rattled the bar in the 33rd minute and his glancing header from a Dest cross just before halftime went just wide.
The second half saw more huffing and puffing from the USA, as several times Pulisic found space in transition, and while it forced a few corner kick opportunities, Jordan Pickford wasn’t really tested in the England goal. England meanwhile began to enjoy more extended periods of possession, but could do little to really threaten keeper Matt Turner on the other side of the pitch.
This was thanks to a defensive effort by the US that was outstanding. Whatever hangover Walker Zimmerman might have been suffering after conceding the penalty in the Wales match, wasn’t at all evident on this night. Tim Ream was outstanding again, as was Tyler Adams in the American midfield.
The inability of the US to convert the chances the created was a carryover from the Wales game, and at least so far has come to define this World Cup for the Americans. It’s the kind of trend that they’ll need to correct in order to advance.
The Three Lions did threaten late in the first half when Mason Mount‘s shot forced a sharp save from Turner, but overall England found the going difficult. That said, the cushion the Three Lions created from the first match meant they could invite the US to move forward and in turn not take too many risks.
But it all resulted in a rather tepid performance from England. The much-heralded attacking trident of Mount, Raheem Sterling, and Bukayo Saka was kept rather quiet aside from Mount’s aforementioned attempt. The central duo of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice saw plenty of the ball, but wasn’t all that effective in spurring the attack.
Manager Gareth Southgate tried to shake things up by bringing on Jack Grealish and Jordan Henderson for Sterling and Bellingham, respectively, but it didn’t result in an uptick in England’s fortunes. That is until Kane had a glorious chance in stoppage time, but could only head Luke Shaw‘s free kick wide.
This match will certainly not make it on too many England highlight reels. Yet England still top the group with four points, and face a Wales side that looked dead on its feet in the last minutes of the Iran match. One would expect
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