US to open WC vs Wales after draw by Uruguay
Messi scores 5 goals vs. Estonia
KANSAS CITY, Kan, — Two months after the World Cup draw, the United States learned it will open the tournament against Wales on Nov 21.
“It’s full steam ahead, concentrating on Wales,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said after Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Uruguay in a prep match.
At the draw on April 1, the U.S. was slotted to open Group B against Wales, Ukraine or Scotland, and to then play England four days later and close the first round against Iran on Nov. 29. FIFA postponed Ukraine’s playoff games following Russia’s attack, and the Ukrainians won 3-1 at Scotland on Wednesday before losing 1-0 at Wales on Sunday in a match that ended about three hours before the Americans kicked off.
“My heart goes out to Ukraine,” Berhalter said. “The whole world was probably behind Ukraine and wanting them to go to the World Cup.”
Wales is ranked 18th in the world, three behind the U.S.
“We know what their team’s about, and we’re going to have to put in a good performance,” American star Christian Pulisic said.
U.S. players watched the last 15 minutes.
“To get to play a guy like Gareth Bale I think is something we can all be excited about,” defender Walker Zimmerman said, referring to Wales’ career scoring leader.
Jesús Ferreira failed to convert a pair of first-half chances as U.S. forwards kept up their goal-scoring struggles in their second of four World Cup warmup matches this month.
The Americans stretched their home unbeaten streak to 25 matches since a September 2019 loss to Mexico. That’s one shy of the team record set from 2013-15.
Ferreira had the best American chances, a 15-yard shot saved by Fernando Muslera in the 19th and then an open header wide a minute later. Haji Wright, who debuted Wednesday, replaced Ferreira in the 61st.
American forwards have one goal in the team’s last 13 matches — by Ferreira in a 5-1 rout of Panama in a World Cup qualifier on March 27.
“The final pass was a bit off,” Berhalter said. “We’ll keep working with these guys.”
Pulisic at 23 years, 71 days became the seventhyoungest American to make 50 international appearances.
The U.S. wore jerseys with rainbow-colored numbers for Pride Month and wore orange armbands to raise awareness against gun violence.
The U.S. plays 170thranked Grenada on Friday at Austin, Texas, in its World Cup sendoff, the first of two CONCACAF Nations League matches, then is at No. 74 El Salvador on June 14.
No. 13 Uruguay plays South Korea, Portugal and Ghana in Group H.
MESSI: In Pamplona, Spain, Lionel Messi scored five goals for Argentina for the first time in a 5-0 rout of Estonia in a friendly match, becoming the fourth-highest scorer for a national team in men’s soccer.
Messi scored twice in the first half, including from a penalty kick, and three times after the interval to reach 86 international goals. He moved past the 84 goals of former Hungary great Ferenc Puskas.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list with 117 goals — including two on Sunday as Portugal routed Switzerland 4-0 in the Nations League — followed by Iran’s Ali Daei with 109 and Mokhtar Dahari of Malaysia with 89.
Messi had never scored five times before for Argentina at senior level. He scored five goals with Barcelona in a 7-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 of the 2011-12 Champions League.
The 34-year-old Messi had two assists last week when Argentina defeated Italy 3-0 in the first Finalissima meeting of the South American and European champions.
Argentina is unbeaten in its last 33 matches.
MATCH CANCELED: In Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada’s World Cup warmup match against Panama was canceled Sunday when the men’s team refused to play because of a labor dispute with the nation’s governing body that includes a demand the women’s national team get equal match fees.
Players, preparing for the nation’s first men’s World Cup appearance since 1986, refused to train Friday and Saturday.
Players said they want 40% of World Cup prize money, a friends and family travel package and and “equitable structure with our women’s national team that shares the same player match fees, percentage of prize money earned at our respective FIFA World Cups and the development of a women’s domestic league.”
“We want to work together with our organization, but the relationship has been strained for years,” players said in a statement. “And now, Canada Soccer has disrespected our team and jeopardized our efforts to raise the standards and effectively advance the game in Canada.”
Unions for the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams announced agreements on May 18 calling for equal pay, including a pooling of World Cup prize money. The Canadian men said they want an equal percentage of prize money and equal match fees.