Americans frustrated as Wales snatch point after 64-year wait
A young United States team was nearing victory in their World Cup return. Then Walker Zimmerman needlessly ploughed into Gareth Bale.
Bale converted the resulting penalty in the 82nd minute, giving Wales a 1-1 draw yesterday that left the Americans feeling frustrated and made their path to the knockout stage more precarious.
“You feel like you have the game and you’re going to win,” midfielder Brenden Aaronson said. “It’s a punch in the face.”
Tim Weah put the Americans ahead in the 36th minute off a pass from Christian Pulisic, scoring in front a crowd that included his father, former Fifa Player of the Year and current Liberia President George Weah.
Back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament, the US had only to close out the final minutes. But Brennan Johnson had a throwin that Aaron Ramsey cut back to Bale, who had his back to the goal near the penalty spot. Zimmerman’s sliding tackle took out Bale’s left leg and Qatari referee Abdulrahman AlJassim pointed to the penalty spot.
“He probably just puts his leg not for the ball but to try and get in the way of me hitting the ball,” said Zimmerman.
“So I kind of went through him and I think I still got the ball. But clever move — I wish I would have seen him out of the corner my eye.”
Shooting in front of the Red Wall of supporters, Bale sent his kick past keeper Matt Turner for his 41st goal in 109 international appearances, salvaging a point for Wales in their first World Cup match since 1958.
“Obviously, a difficult game,” Bale said. “First half was not how we wanted to play and the United States played really well. We played quite poorly.”
Next up for the US is a high-profile match on Saturday against England, who opened with a 6-2 rout of Iran. Wales face the Iranians. The top two teams advance to the last 16.
“It’s pretty clear — a disappointing result for us,” Turner said.
Weah, just 22, was part of a newlook American team that is the tournament’s second-youngest.
Yunus Musah, at 19 years 358 days the youngest American to start a World Cup match, started the move to Weah’s goal when he headed the ball to Josh Sargent on halfway. Sargent passed to Pulisic, who burst up the middle of the field. On his fourth touch, Pulisic rolled the ball ahead to Weah, who timed his run perfectly to break into the box ahead of Neco Williams.
From near the penalty spot, Weah used the outside of his right foot to poke the ball over the left thigh of sliding keeper Wayne Hennessey for his fourth goal in 26 internationals.
“It’s a dream come true for every attacker, for every player to score in a World Cup,” Weah said, “and I did that in front of my fans, my teammates, my family.”
In the 750th US international match, the Americans started a US World Cup record 10 players from European clubs, with only Zimmerman from Major League Soccer. DeAndre Yedlin, who entered in the 74th minute, was the only American with previous World Cup experience.
Sargent nearly put the Americans ahead in the 10th minute when he hit a post with a header from Antonee Robinson’s cross.
After the US dominated the first half with 66 per cent possession, Wales switched to a three-man attack and had 67 per cent in the first 15 minutes of the second. Ben Davies’ header in the 64th minute was pushed over the crossbar by a leaping Turner.
The match was played in the Arabian desert west of Doha at rebuilt Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, lit in brilliant colours and featuring an exterior facade meant to replicate undulating sand dunes. The US Soccer Federation sold about 3300 tickets, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was on hand in the crowd of 43,418.
“The nerves were there,” Pulisic said. “Now we have to figure out how to put that together for 90 minutes.”
First half was not how we wanted to play and the United States played really well. We played quite poorly. Wales captain Gareth Bale