US frustrates England again at a World Cup
AL KHOR, Qatar — Loud jeers rang around the stadium. England’s fans were not happy. The United States had frustrated them yet again at a World Cup.
That’s three times and counting that the teams have met on soccer’s biggest stage and England is still waiting for its first win against the Americans after a 0-0 draw on Friday.
Coach Gareth Southgate had reminded his players of that record beforehand, with the U.S. famously winning 1-0 in 1950 and playing out a 1-1 draw in 2010. They didn’t seem to heed his warning and didn’t respond to Gregg Berhalter’s young and energetic team.
England beat Iran 6-2 in its opening game in Qatar to justify its status as one of the tournament favorites. But it could consider itself fortunate not to have dropped another match to the U.S., after Christian Pulisic hit the crossbar with a first-half strike and Weston McKinnie lifted a shot over from eight yards out.
The England fans had turned up at the Al Bayt Stadium in anticipation of celebrating a win and qualification to the knockout stages with a game to play.
“I want our fans at home to have a smile on their faces and we haven’t quite managed to achieve that,” Southgate said. “But people are going to react how they react and I can’t let that affect how I feel about the team or how the team feels.
“The objective is to qualify and we have three games to do it.”
Frustrating England is one thing. But Berhalter’s job is to advance to the knockout stages.
The draw sets up a match for the U.S. against Iran on Tuesday for a spot in the round of 16. Iran beat Wales 2-0 earlier and sits second in Group B with three points, one more than the Americans.
“It sets up our first knockout game of the World Cup,” Berhalter said. “We win or we’re out of the World Cup. That’s going to be the focus for us while we are preparing the team for the next game.
“But most importantly, understanding the intensity Iran is going to bring. They played an excellent game today. Played with
ton of spirit will have to be up for it if we want a chance to advance.”
Southgate, meanwhile, will try to lift his players. He described them as dejected following the elating win against Iran.
And despite the boos, England is still top of the group with four points.
“It wasn’t the best performance, for sure,” said Harry Kane, who came close to scoring with a stoppage-time header. “Good spells with the ball, but we didn’t quite have the final product.
“We had two or three opportunities and didn’t put it away.”
KANE WAIT
Kane, Golden Boot winner from the 2018 World Cup, is still looking for his first goal at this tournament.
MUSAH MISS
Yunus Musah, who chose to represent the U.S. over England, showed exactly what Southgate is missing out on with a dominant midfield performance.
World Cup host Qatar eliminated from the tournament
DOHA, Qatar — Qatar staring at the World Cup exit.
Senegal sent the host team to a second loss at its home tournament on Friday after seizing on a defensive error from the Qatar team for the opening goal in a 3-1 victory.
Qatar’s elimination from the World Cup could now come on Friday and less than a week into the tournament it’s been preparing to play in for 12 years if Netherlands and Ecuador draw in the day’s other Group A game, or if the Dutch win.
It would confirm Qatar as the worst-performing host team is in the 92-year history of the World Cup.
Senegal, on the other hand, got its campaign back on track after losing 2-0 to the Netherlands in the first match.
Against Qatar, Senegal striker Boulaye Dia drilled in the first goal after defender Boualem Khoukhi tried to make a clearance under no pressure, didn’t connect properly and landed on his backside. The ball dribbled away from Khoukhi.
And Dia, grateful for the gift, lashed it in.
Famara Diedhiou made it 2-0 at the start of the second half with a header from a corner while two Qatar defenders failed to stop him.
Cheshmi’s late goal sends Iran to 2-0 win over Wales
Al RAYYAN, Qatar — Rouzbeh Cheshmi scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to break a scoreless stalemate and Iran went on to defeat Wales 2-0 at the World Cup on Friday.
Cheshmi’s strike from outside the box was just beyond the diving reach of Wales backup goalkeeper Danny Ward, who was pressed into duty when starter Wayne Hennessey was sent off in the 86th minute.
Ramin Rezaeian added a second goal moments later and Iran wildly celebrated while some of the Welsh players dropped in disbelief to the field.
Hennessy was ejected in the 86th minute for a high challenge on Mehdi Taremi.
Gareth Bale made his 110th appearance for Wales, the most all-time for the national team, but the Welsh appeared sluggish early after a 1-1 draw with the United States in their Group B opener.
The match was played after pro-government fans harassed anti-government fans outside the stadium in Qatar, reflecting the divisions afflicting the country.
Valencia scores World Cup-best third goal in Ecuador draw
AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Ecuador striker Énner Valencia scored a World Cup-best third goal Friday in a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands that eliminated host nation Qatar from the tournament.
The draw gave both the Dutch and Ecuador one point apiece to move them to four points in Group A. It left Qatar with zero points after losing 3-1 to Senegal hours earlier.
Ecuador dominated much of the game after Cody Gakpo fired the Dutch into a sixth-minute lead with a rising shot from the edge of the penalty area. It was the fastest goal scored so far in Qatar.
Ecuador leveled in the 49th minute when Valencia passed the ball into an empty net after Pervis Estupiñán’s shot was pushed away by goalkeeper Andries Noppert
Valencia’s third goal in Qatar — after scoring both in a 2-0 win over the host nation on Sunday — extended his streak to scoring all six Ecuador goals at World Cups since the 2014 tournament started.
Almost the entire Ecuador squad joined their inspirational captain in a collective goal celebration. It created a powerful image of unity by kneeling together in a circle pointing to the night sky at Khalifa International Stadium.
Ecuador almost got a deserved winning goal minutes later when the Netherlands crossbar was rattled by a rising left-foot shot from Gonzalo Plata.
Ecuador plays Senegal on Tuesday, needing just a draw to advance, and the Netherlands will play Qatar.