They left the pitch to a chorus of boos at the final whistle.
This felt like a painful reality check as England were brought crashing back down to earth as their United States curse struck again in a third World Cup.
Incredibly, England have never beaten the USA in a major tournament, losing in the 1950 World Cup, being held in 2010 and the frustration continued deep in the desert.
And how quickly the mood can change from optimism, giddiness and hope to frustration and disappointment.
The draw is still good enough to as good as secure England’s place in the knock-out stages - they just have to avoid a heavy defeat to Wales in their last Group match - but it was hardly the morale-boosting display to keep us believing.
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England fans had their flags draped behind the goal at each end of the spectacular 70,000 seater Al Bayt Stadium but they also wasted no time in making their feelings clear.
Harry Maguire was one of few exceptions as he was outstanding in an otherwise abject, flat and sloppy display when the United States were desperately unlucky not to win.
And perhaps that should be England’s biggest consolation. On a night when they looked sluggish, off the pace and lethargic, at least they did not become another scalp in a World Cup of shocks.
But there were major worrying signs as Harry Kane struggled and the only time he came close to scoring was a glorious chance in injury time when he headed wide.
Kane, who suffered an injury scare this week, did not look fit or sharp enough but the reality was that he was far from the only one.
There were a collection of players who were sensational against Iran - but poor by comparison against the United States.
Maybe it was the heat in the balmy, sweaty heat of the desert which still felt horribly humid when they kicked off at 10pm in the middle of the desert, 40 miles from Doha.
But there should be no excuses because this was a chance to send another message and underline their chances of lifting the trophy in a tournament which feels like it is there for the taking.
But they could never find another gear, they could never overcome the United States who had the better chances and the best and most dangerous forward on the pitch in Christian Pulisic.
Chelsea star Pulisic hit the bar, glanced wide and it was the United States who dominated a first half when England started quite well - and then got worse and worse.
It was a world away from the performance against Iran and they had to rely on Maguire’s brilliance, his defence partner John Stones while Luke Shaw also impressed at left back.
But Jude Bellingham could not repeat his starring display from four days ago, Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling struggled while Mason Mount had one decent shot well saved but otherwise was flat.
This was not in the script and England were just lucky that they could not find a finishing touch for Pulisic’s energy and invention.
Pulisic clearly had a point to prove amid his frustrations at Chelsea - and did so brilliantly. He was electric and got the sponsors’ man of the match even if Maguire’s heroics at the back ultimately decided the score.
We hoped a half time team talk by Gareth Southgate might lift England but they were hardly any better after the restart and the introduction of Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford provided some new ideas but not a breakthrough.
It was deep into injury time when Shaw swing over a free kick and there was Kane ghosting in but he glanced wide when he normally would score all day.
That just summed up England’s night but if they had nicked it at the death then it would have been daylight robbery.
