The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group B USA v Wales clash that shouldn’t be all about Gareth Bale, but probably will be. At least for the US it is a distraction away from politics for those in the market for it.
With so many games and so little time, our Group B USA v Wales Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game. We watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group B USA v Wales Match Centre.
KICKOFF – MONDAY 21st NOV – 22:00 (QATAR) 19:00 (UK) 06:00 (AEDT)
Group B USA v Wales Match Review
Match Summary
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
2′ Min Early free kick deep into Wales territory for the USA was easily handled by Wales. A solid start in their first World Cup game in 64 years. So long ago that Pele was in the opposition. A corner not long after for the USA also produces nothing.
9′ Min USA go oh so close! First it’s nearly a spectacular own goal from Joe Rodon which took a decent save from his own keeper. Then Josh Sargent almost scores again from the rebound but his header goes into the side net. Solid play from USA who look good for a goal or two.
11′ Min Sergino Dest is the first player to be booked for a pretty ordinary tackle on Neco Williams. Not red, but plenty yellow.
13′ Min Neco Williams might be starting to take things personally, he is fouled for a second time in three minutes. This time it is Weston McKinnie who gets him, and earning yellow for an ugly two foot tackle.
14′ Min Chalk down Wales for a shot on goal. Not close but at least some action.
23′ Min Half chance for USA through Christian Pulisic falls short and cleared by Wales. USA giving Wales nothing at the moment.Wales offering the same.
29′ Min Sergino Dest let ambition get in the way with a shot from distance that missed by a distance.
32′ Min USA seemed to be camped down in the Wales half, but can’t turn it into points. Wales give them a chance with a free kick given and a yellow card received, followed by a corner.
36′ Min GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR USA
USA finally turn their dominance into points. A move that started just inside their own half ends with a defence splitting key pass from Christian Pulisic to a perfectly timed run from Timothy Weah, and the US forward sidefoots it past the Welsh keeper for the lead.
USA 1 WALES 0
39′ Min Klinsmann Award nomination for USA’s Yunus Musah who trips himself on the grass as Gareth Bale slides in to take the football. The theatrics were convincing enough for the referee to give Gareth Wales a yellow card. Thanks Bale says.
44′ Min Wales force a corner for their best attacking press for the first half. Nothing came from it and USA lead at half time.
HALF TIME – USA 1 Wales 0
46′ Min Dan James carries the can for Wales’ lacklustre first half showing and is replaced by Kieffer Moore. USA get a corner within the first 20 seconds of the game, but don’t convert, or go close.
50′ Min A Wales corner that leads to a bit of a goal box scramble and ends in a foul against Wales for no obvious reason. At least they didn’t refer to VAR. Wales have started the second half better though.
59′ Min Wales are really attacking the USA goal now. The Welsh supporters have woken up a bit and there’s some noise now. Final execution is lacking, but with Gareth Bale you’d think it’s coming.
62′ Min Big chance for the USA. A long cross meets Christian Pulisic who meets a Welsh defender at the same time. The American looks for a penalty but is waived off and rightly so.
64′ Min Huge save from USA’s Matt Turner from a diving header from Ben Davies on the six yard line. Kieffer Moore gets a free header from the subsequent corner too, and can;t keep it down. Wales on fire at the moment.
69′ Min A corner for the USA after the teams are going up and down the field like a game of tennis. USA can’t break the Wales line, and the sight of a limping then laying down Christian Pulisic won’t fill them with joy either.
74′ Min Triple change for the USA. Are they going for the 2-0 kill or protecting their 1-0 lead. We will see.
80′ Min PENALTY TO WALES
Wales fire the ball into the penalty box, and as Gareth Bale attempts to recover the ball with his back to the US goal the defender Zimmerman crashes through him and knocks him over. No doubt over the penalty, a clumsy tackle.
GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR WALES
Gareth Bale converts. He goes left, the keeper goes left, but Bale’s kick is too strong.
USA 1 WALES 1
89′ Min Wales are in the clear and Brennan Johnson goes on a run down the right and takes a shot, but is stopped by Turner. It could have been different if he saw Gareth Bale in the centre. It was set up with a nice touch from Kieffer Moore.
90′ Min Bloody hell, nine minutes of injury time. Fans are getting value for their money with today’s matches, after the England-Iran game had over 25 additional minutes. The game is there to be won, and either side look capable.
90′ +9 Min USA keeper Matt Turner is almost caught well outside his penalty area, giving Wales a free kick chance to steal the game. Spoiler alert, they don’t and it’s a draw.
Final Score
USA 1
Weah 36′
WALES 1
Bale 82′ pen
HT USA 1-0
Player of the Match
Walker Zimmerman or Gareth Bale
Points of Interest
- The Wales fans were a little quiet early. Considering your country has been waiting 64 years for another crack at the World Cup. Maybe it was the lack of beer. Or nerves. Maybe it was the acoustics in the stadium. But they did warm up eventually.
- For all their dominance for a lot of the game, USA had only one Shot on Target compared to Wales’ three. Although we’re not sure if the almost own goal in the first half was counted.
Group B USA v Wales Match Stats
Group B USA v Wales Starting Teams
USA (4-3-3)
GK 1 Turner
DEF 2 Dest
DEF 3 Zimmerman
DEF 13 Ream
DEF 5 Robinson
MID 8 McKennie
MID 4 Adams
MID 6 Musah
FWD 21 Weah
FWD 24 Sargent
FWD 10 Pulisic
WALES (3-5-2)
GK 1 Hennessey
DEF 5 Mepham
DEF 6 Rodon
DEF 4 Davies
MID 14 Roberts
MID 10 Ramsey
MID 15 Ampadu
MID 8 Wilson
MID 3 N Williams
FWD 11 Bale
FWD 20 James
Group B USA v Wales Match Preview
Why should you care?
These look like two teams to just sit back and enjoy. With no pressure like the first game of the tournament with Qatar, and England not featuring, it’s a chance to watch a game in the first days of the 2022 World Cup where you can sit back and just enjoy.
Could be a few goals we hope too. USA has seen over 2 Goals in four of the last five games at the World Cup and the USA are sixth for most goals scored per game since the last World Cup in 2018.
Although looking at Wales’ goals and win record recently, we may have to change that.
Who should you care about?
It will all be about Gareth Bale, and why not, he has done plenty for Welsh football helping them get to the World Cup for a second time here in Qatar. He has been playing in the USA coincidentally for LAFC, who recently won the championship, with Bale scoring a 128th minute equaliser before his team won on penalties. But he’s still a class player and may get some chances against USA.
An underrated performer in general, and especially for Wales is Keiffer Moore. Whilst there may be some Ipswich Town bias, Moore does tend to pop up and score key goals, and there won’t be much in this game.
Christian Pulisic is the big name of the side, and a decent scoring return for the USA with 21 goals in 52 games, which is better than his FPL trolling return of 21 goals in 87 games for Chelsea. But we’ll throw in another name Brenden Aaronson from Leeds Utd as our player to watch after a birght start to the season with Leeds. And Wikipedia says hi nickname is the “Medford Messi”. No pressure then. Medford, for the record, is where Aaronson was born.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Statsi
Is there a barely interesting fact?
USA haven’t beaten a European nation at the World Cup since 2002 – 7 Games for a return of 4 Draws and 3 losses. Their last win though was when the World Cup was held in the Asian region.
Wales made the Quarter Finals in their only World Cup appearance in 1958 without winning a group stage game. We’re not sure if it is a record, but they drew all three of their group stage games and won a subsequent playoff to make the quarter final before losing to Brazil.
Who will win?
USA 1 Wales 1
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
Group B USA v Wales Match Review
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute except one that has only the minutes that matter.
Stay tuned after the match.
Group B USA v Wales Match Stats
Coming after the match.
