Drab draw’s no Page turner as Wales fail to unlock USA
WALES were held to a largely disappointing 0-0 draw by the USA at the Liberty Stadium.
A drab affair saw both sides labour to create chances in only the second ever competitive meeting between the two nations.
But interim boss Rob Page will see the positives from this performance, notably a third straight clean sheet, as he bids to prepare the Red Dragons for far more important matters in the coming days.
For the visitors, this will have been seen as a hugely encouraging showing, after spending nearly a year out of action.
Indeed it’s USA’s political heavyweights who have understandably been at the centre of miles and miles of column inches in recent weeks. Its footballers not so much.
The election and the subsequent drama of Donald Trump’s determination to cling to power has fascinated and, dare I say, entertained people around the world.
Indeed the circus of American democracy left little, if any, room for small matters such as a behind-closed doors kickabout with a muchchanged Wales side.
Indeed, the anti-racism messages displayed on the tracksuits of the visitors ahead of kick-off served as a poignant reminder of where priorities lie for many Americans, although perhaps a long overdue return to action will have served as a welcome distraction, if only for one evening.
This was the first time Gregg Berhalter’s side had been involved in a competitive international clash for 285 days - but they didn’t show too many signs of rustiness, even without the talents of star man Christian Pulisic.
It was Wales who looked guilty of lethargy in a largely forgettable opening 45 minutes.
Kieffer Moore flashed an early header wide, while Tom Lawrence forced a smart save with a dipping effort from distance.
But on the whole, Wales were overrun in the midfield. The attacking talents of West McKennie and Giovanni Reyna stretching Matt Smith and Dylan Levitt to the limit at the heart of the Wales midfield.
The latter nearly gifted an opening goal to Konrad De La Fuente just before the break, but the Barcelona youngster thankfully couldn’t keep his shot down.
That was as good as good as the opening 45 got in terms of entertainment.
Perhaps John King’s fabled Magic Wall would have injected a bit of entertainment, although even his ability to turn the mundane into the brilliantly entertaining would have been pushed to its limit here.
Of course, Wales hadn’t exactly enjoyed an ideal preparation for the clash themselves, with Rob Page overseeing the first of three international games in the temporary absence of Ryan Giggs.
Already without the injured Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale was given a rest, perhaps with the upcoming UEFA Nations League double-header in mind – and his attacking talents were sorely missed here.
Nevertheless, there were some positives, particularly from a defensive point of view. Chris Gunter is now two caps away from bringing up a sensational international century.
Of all the games he’ll look back on, it’s difficult to see this one standing out too much. However, try telling that to Newport County’s Josh Sheehan and Lincoln City loanee Brennan Johnson, who were both handed their international debuts after the break.
Johnson nearly made an instant impact, forcing a smart save from Steffen just after the hour, while Danny Ward had to be alert at the other end to turn substitute Ulysses Llanez’s shot round the post around 10 minutes later. But neither side could really carve out another gilt-edged opening.
An onslaught of subs helped the game along in winding down, with both sides seemingly settling for a draw that few will ever want to revisit.
Despite the lack of Hollywood entertainment, both coaches will have viewed this as a decent workout, although there will be far more important challenges to come.
Wales U21s face Moldova at The Racecourse, Wrexham, today in their final Euro 2021 home qualifier (5pm). The match will be free to watch via a live-stream on the FAW Facebook and YouTube channels.