A draw was good for the USMNT, but not good enough
RAYYAN, Qatar — Setting aside the age and inexperience of the U.S. men’s national team at this World Cup — and the pure joy of returning to the event after an unmentionable fiasco last time — there was a feeling late Monday that the Americans missed another opportunity for a breakthrough moment on soccer’s biggest stage.
Circumstances in each World Cup are different, but with a golden chance to make inroads in the eyes of the world and catch the attention of casual sports fans back home, the Americans fell short again in their 1-1 draw against Wales.
There is no shame in tying a good European team, one that hadn’t qualified for the World Cup in 64 years but made the 2016 Euro semifinals. There was justified anger at Walker Zimmerman, a 10th-year pro, for conceding a late penalty with a sloppy challenge. More than anything, though, there was disappointment in relinquishing a late lead and settling for one point instead of rejoicing over three.
U.S. supporters worked through these same mixed feelings in the team’s previous two World Cup appearances. In 2010, there was the thrill of Landon Donovan’s dramatic goal against Algeria that won the group, but then the unfulfillment of losing to beatable Ghana in extra time in the round of 16.
Four years later, there was the drama of John Brooks’s late header in the group-stage opener against Ghana, followed later by a brave fight and heroic goalkeeping by Tim Howard but ultimately an extratime setback against farsuperior Belgium in the round of 16.
It’s unfair to say the Americans squandered all these opportunities. Situations vary. But they were in position to make a mark, to take the next step, to show they have the sophistication and gumption to win hard games.
Most of the key U.S. players here are young, but they’ve also grown up fast at the highest levels of European club soccer. They’ve played for and against the best of Europe and in the late stage of the UEFA Champions League. They are not naive.