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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Rob Smyth

USA 1-1 Wales: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

World Cup Wales United States Michael Sheen a World Cup
Bale celebrates scoring.
Bale celebrates scoring. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

That’s it from me. I’ll leave you Ben Fisher’s match report and Tom Jenkins’ gallery. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight.

Updated

The post-match thoughts of Tim Weah, who scored a delightful opening goal

[On the goal] Christian gave me a beautiful ball and it was up to me to finish it. [On a game of two halves] It felt like in the first half we had a lot of energy, a lot of momentum ... and then coming into the second-half we dialled down and Wales turned it up a notch. They started pressing us, they had most of the ball and I think at the end that’s what really hurt us.

[On what changes are needed before the England game] In a World Cup, the most important thing is that we didn’t lose. We need to continue to do what we do best and keep working.

“With the USA’s wonderful first half wiped out, this has to be considered a victory for Wales,” says Mary Waltz. “The USA advanced in 2014 with a W1 D1 L1 record but they wilted under the Wales pressure. Disappointing.”

It’s stupid to look too far ahead, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do. If England win all three games, and both Wales and the USA beat Iran, one of them will go through with four points. Also, if England beat the US on Friday, chances are they will rest players in their final match against Wales.

Then again, the USA have never lost to England at a World Cup.

I’ve just realised that Gio Reyna didn’t get on the field. Unless he was injured, that’s pretty hard to fathom.

Gregg Berhalter’s verdict

I think we lost a little bit of power [in the second half], but in the same sense Wales stepped up the pressure and we had some good counter-attacking opportunities but I thought the guys dealt with it well. We kept going until the end, we left everything out there.

“The view from the USA on Fox,” begins Eric Garcia. “Landon Donovan, Alexi Lalas and Clint Dempsey all disappointed and feel like this was a win thrown away.”

They were so good in the first half. They did sit on their lead a bit too much after the break, though part of that was down to Wales’ improvement.

And here’s Gareth Bale

Not a good first half – they played really well and we were poor. But it was a great talk from the gaffer at half-time, we changed a few things – nothing I wanna share too much – and came out battling. We looked like we were gonna win the game from the second half. It’s a great point, we showed character… and we go again.

Yeah, I was always gonna take the penalty. No doubts in my head. I feel like I have to step up, and I’m happy to do so. It’s incredible to have a World Cup goal but I’d rather have the three points. Our second-half performance was fantastic so we’ll take a lot of confidence. I felt a little bit tired towards the end – I can’t believe there were nine minutes added on – but we have to dig deep for our country. We always do.

Next up in Group B

Wales play Iran on Friday (10am GMT), then England meet the USA later in the day (7pm GMT, 2pm EST).

Rob Page’s verdict

It’s important not to lose the first game. It was similar to the Switzerland game in the Euros – we showed character and determination to come back and get a point. [On the half-time change] It was nothing against Daniel James, it just suited the game to have Kieffer [Moore] on. We couldn’t play through their press so we tried to play over it.

“It’s all about Bale-o, rightly so. He’s never let us down. We had some players who cramped up in the last few minutes – they haven’t played much football this season - so the medical team have got some work to do to get us ready for Friday. To see the Red Wall, it’s been incredible.”

The Wales players get high praise from Rob Page after the match
The Wales players get high praise from Rob Page after the match Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

Full time: USA 1-1 Wales

Peep peep! A game of two distinct 45-minutes segments, and an honourable draw. The USA were too dynamic for Wales in the first half and scored a lovely goal through Timothy Weah. Wales’ second-half performance was much better, and they were rewarded when Gareth Bale – who had barely had a kick – won and converted a penalty in 82nd minute. I say ‘converted’: he walloped it in.

Updated

90+10 min Acosta is booked for a very cynical foul on Bale. Turner had come miles out of his area to head a long ball back towards the halfway line. It fell to Bale, who was lining up a shot from 55 yards when Acosta showed him over.

90+8 min Wales play on even though Pulisic is down. Thomas’s cross is controlled well by Moore, who tries to rumble through three defenders and almost manages it. Wales come again but Bale is tackled superbly on the edge of the D by Adams.

90+7 min Yedlin’s deep cross is punched away a little nervously, but ultimately safely by Hennessey.

90+5 min Ampadu is down again. I think it’s cramp rather than anything more serioues, but he is going to be replaced by Joe Morrell. Ampadu had a fine game and has arguably been Wales’ best player, though not their chief headline-grabber.

Updated

90+4 min Roberts’ dangerous cross is headed away well by Zimmerman, this time forcing his way legitimately in front of Bale.

90+3 min: Wales substitution Ampadu wins a thrilling block tackle with Zimmerman, but injures himself in the process. While he is beating treated, Sorba Thomas replaces the weary Harry Wilson.

90+1 min There will be, gulp, nine minutes of added time.

89 min Johnson almost wins it for Wales! He collected a loose ball in the inside-right channel, surged into the area and struck a shot straight at Turner from a tight angle. He didn’t really have any support – Bale was wheezing towards the area – so it was fair enough to go for goal.

88 min Ah, mea culpa: apparently it was Walker Zimmerman who fouled Bale, not Tim Ream. A shocking bit of manbunism from me, for which I apologise.

88 min Robinson is lucky not to be booked for a cynical foul on Johnson.

87 min Some people claim Gareth Bale is a big-game player, and frankly that is absolute nonsense: he is and always has been a huge-game player.

86 min Looks like that email about the Cubs just before half-time wasn’t too far off the mark. Wales have been very good in the second half, but the USA will wonder if they were a bit too content to sit on their 1-0 lead. You do that at your peril when Gareth Bale’s scriptwriter is in the mood.

84 min “Felt like I didn’t breathe for a long time there!” says Matt Dony. “I love Bale so much. He has a Stokes-esque ability to make things happen. Unbelievable force of will.”

83 min I’m not sure Ream Zimmerman did get the ball, on reflection. Either way it was a foul, and a pretty stupid one, because he went through Bale.

Updated

He smashed it in! Turner went the right way, to his left, but Bale bulleted it into the corner. He has done bugger all tonight, the square root of bugger all, and it matters not one jot. This is spine-tingling stuff!

Updated

GOAL! USA 1-1 Wales (Bale 82 pen)

Take that peg off the nose, inhale the sweet fragrance: Gareth Bale has scored Wales’ first World Cup goal in 64 years!

Bale lifts it high into the net!
Bale lifts it high into the net! Photograph: John Sibley/Reuters
It had to be him.
It had to be him. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

PENALTY TO WALES!

80 min Ramsey’s cutback from the byline bobbles towards Bale, back to goal in the area. Ream Zimmerman goes straight through him and the referee gives a penalty! Ream Zimmerman did get the ball, but he took an absurd shortcut through the back of Bale to get there. It’s a clear penalty.

Walker Zimmerman of the U.S. goes through the back of Wales’ Gareth Bale to concede a penalty.
Tim Ream of the U.S. goes through the back of Wales’ Gareth Bale to concede a penalty. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters

Updated

80 min “Bale’s having a peg-on-the-nose stinker tonight,” says Tony Hughes.

How many times have I told you about the word yet.

Updated

79 min: Wales substitution Weah goes down and the referee stops play. Wales aren’t happy, and Wilson gives him a mouthful. The break in play allows Brennan Johnson to come on in place of Neco Williams; that should mean a switch to 4-3-3.

77 min Pulisic’s very deep corner is headed wide by the off balance Aaronson. A half chance at best.

77 min Wales had a really good spell at the start of the second half, but the USA seem to have weathered the storm. I’m surprised we haven’t seen Brennan Johnson yet.

76 min Wright gets involved straight away, flicking a header wide from about 15 yards. It wasn’t much of a chance – he was running away from goal when he met Weah’s cross.

75 min “Hiya Rob,” writes Bethan McKernan. “I’m the Jerusalem correspondent for the paper and I’m watching at the British consulate here — a room full of Americans and a few very supportive English people. They’ve decorated with Welsh flags. Atmosphere completely different this half. I am bursting with pride! Great job on the blog, da iawn!”

Diolch yn fawr iawn! (I really hope I haven’t cocked that up.)

Updated

74 min: Triple substitution for the USA Haji Wright, Kellyn Acosta and DeAndre Yedlin replaces Dest, Musah and Sargent. Musah, the teenager who made history tonight as the USMNT’s youngest player at a World Cup, has had a fine game in midfield.

73 min Rodon plays a loose pass straight to Musah. He runs 40 yards and finds Pulisic on the left of the area. He stands up an excellent cross towards the penalty spot, where Aaronson and Weah (I think) get in each other’s way.

71 min Now Pulisic is down, but he seems okay. The US are about to make a triple substitution.

70 min Wilson loses the ball to Pulisic near the byline. Ben Davies gets him out of trouble, blocking Pulisic’s subsequent cross.

69 min Williams is still receiving treatment. It didn’t look great, although he’s getting to his feet as I type.

67 min Weah, the goalscorer, runs at Williams to win a corner. Williams was horribly off balance when he lunged to tackle Weah, and he’s in a lot of pain.

66 min: USA substitution Brenden Aaronson replaces Weston McKennie.

65 min: Chance for Moore! Wilson curls the resulting corner to the near post, where Moore gets away from Turner but flicks a header over from four yards! That was an excellent chance; he just couldn’t quite get over the ball.

Moore gets up highest but doesn’t finish the chance.
Moore gets up highest but doesn’t finish the chance. Photograph: Antonin Thuillier/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

64 min: Good save from Turner! That’s the closest Wales have come to scoring. Wilson’s inswinging free-kick was headed up in the air, which led to an impromptu game of head tennis. Eventually Davies’s diving header was tipped over by Turner, a dramatic but relatively comfortable save above his head.

Updated

62 min Weah’s long cross from the right almost breaks for Pulisic at the far post. The sliding Mepham gets the slighest touch on the ball, which then hits Pulisic and goes behind for a goalkick. It was right on the edge of the area, so without that touch the USA might have had a penalty; Mepham would certainly have been given a second yellow card. I’d like to see it again to be sure, but I’m pretty sure it was a fair tackle from Mepham.

Updated

59 min Wales are pinning the USA back now. Rodon sparks another attack with a lovely sliding tackle on Sargent. Eventually Roberts’ curling cross is slightly too heavy for Bale beyond the far post.

58 min “I rarely watch football,” says Filip from Macedonia, “but Wales clearly need someone who can pass and be the designated playmaker. And they also happen to have Joe Allen on the bench.”

He’s not fully fit – he’s a certain starter when he is.

57 min Dest concedes what looks like a corner, but the referee gives a throw-in. Then Williams’ dangerous cross is headed away from Bale at the near post. Wales are right in this game now.

54 min Ben Davies plays a good pass through the lines to release Wilson. He finds Williams, who twists past Dest on the edge of the area. McKennie comes across to clear, but this is much better from Wales.

52 min Wales are playing with greater intensity and aggression in the second half, presumably after an almighty roasting in the dressing-room from Michael Sheen.

Wales’ forward Kieffer Moore gets on the ball and shows more purpose than any other Welsh player did in the first half.
Wales’ forward Kieffer Moore gets on the ball and shows more purpose than any other Welsh player did in the first half. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

51 min Bale dribbles past Ream, who wrestles him to the ground and takes the yellow card.

50 min Wilson’s corner is dropped by Turner, who recovers to punch the loose ball clear. The referee gave a foul against Turner, though I’m not sure there was one.

47 min “Greetings from Chicago,” says Matt Burtz. “The point about Pulisic is well taken, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a slight on him if he can’t do similar things in a Chelsea squad packed with international talents.

“I’m not saying he should have turned Chelsea down, but sometimes I wonder if he would have been better off going to say, Aston Villa, where he would likely be guaranteed 90 minutes every week instead of having to compete for playing time, which probably compels him to try too hard, which leads to mistakes and bad decisions, which leads to benching. Lather, rinse, repeat.”

Updated

46 min Musah wins an early corner down the left. Pulisic’s inswinger is headed away by Roberts. Actually, as good as Pulisic has been in open play, his set-pieces have been poor.

46 min Peep peep!

A half-time change for Wales Kieffer Moore replaces Dan James up front.

“The Cubs are pre-2005 Ashes England,” says Joseph Harvey. “Hope that clears things up.”

No further questions your honour.

“Am in a packed bar in NYC,” writes Rachel Clifton. “Amazing turnout for a Monday afternoon (albeit thanksgiving week). Ref seems a touch card-happy tho... feel like a red card in the second half seems likely.”

I think his decisions have been fine (Bale’s booking aside), but he has been on the officious side.

Bigotry latest

Updated

“Pulisic plays well when he is the best player on the field, as when the opponent is outmatched in CONCACAF or here,” says Paul Pooley. “Far less productive for club and country when the quality of opponent improves. Sure, not a novel concept, but being direct is a feature that is also a limit in his case.”

Depressing half-time reading

Updated

Half time: USA 1-0 Wales

After a 64-year wait, that was a 45 minutes to forget for Wales. They were overrun by a young, aggressive US side, who lead deservedly through a terrific goal from Timothy Weah. It was made by Christian Pulisic, who has been the best player on the pitch.

Wales defended pretty well, the goal aside, but they were really disappointing in possession. Gareth Bale’s only notable contribution was to receive a slightly unfortunate yellow card.

Updated

45+2 min Mepham, who might have been booked earlier, gets a yellow card this time for pulling back Pulisic. Wales can’t handle him.

45+1 min Four added minutes.

45+1 min “Good that we’re up,” says Tom Soule. “Deserved. But I’m bracing myself for the all-but-inevitable second-half letdown by the USMNT. Can’t help it; it’s the Cubs fan in me.”

I haven’t a clue what this means, but I suspect about 70 per cent of you will understand.

45 min Wales win their first corner. The increasingly officious referee tells Ramsey off for something or other before it is taken. A dodgy haircut? Eventually Wilson curls it deep, it skims off the head of Davies and goes well wide.

43 min Wales are now having a lot more of the ball. Human nature is so weird.

42 min Davies drives a crossfield pass towards Bale that is calmly headed away by Ream. He’s winning the battle of the four-letter surnames.

41 min Pulisic has been a big disappointment for Chelsea in the last two years, but he’s been the best player on the pitch tonight: skilful, direct and full of menace.

40 min Bale is booked for what looked like a decent sliding tackle on Musah. See, he should have worn the armband after all, then he wouldn’t have dared to make that tackle.

Yellow card incoming for Bale after a not-so naughty challenge.
Yellow card incoming for Bale after a not-so naughty challenge. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

38 min The USA are a younger, more dynamic side, and at the moment it is showing.

Updated

Christian Pulisic made the goal with a superb run from the halfway line. From the moment he surged past Rodon, who committed himself unnecessarily, Wales were in trouble. Pulisic then swerved past Mepham (I think) and played a perfect through ball towards Weah. He made a brilliant angled run, away from Williams, and flicked an accomplished first-time finish past Hennessey.

That really is a fine goal: the electricity of the runs from both Pulisic and Weah, and the cool precision of the finish.

Updated

GOAL! USA 1-0 Wales (Weah 36)

Timothy Weah, the son of the legendary George, gives the US a deserved lead with a superb goal!

Timothy Weah of the U.S. scores their first goal in the blink of an eye.
Timothy Weah of the U.S. scores their first goal in the blink of an eye. Photograph: Marko Đurica/Reuters
Weah – son of the legend – celebrates after doing something his father never could.
Weah – son of the legend – celebrates after doing something his father never could. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Oh dear.
Oh dear. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Updated

34 min Mephan shoves Pulisic over but escapes a yellow card, which doesn’t impress the US players much. Could have gone either way; it wasn’t as bad as the fouls by Dest and McKennie.

33 min “I was expecting the young US squad to get frustrated but so far they have been fairly disciplined,” says Mary Waltz. “Wales actually looks a little rattled by the US pressure. But we need a goal badly.”

Don’t we all.

31 min Ampadu is having a good game for Wales, diligently putting our fires in front of the defence, though he already looks shattered. Wales have been decent defensively. The problem is that – stop me if you think I’ve already said this about 40 times – they cannot keep the ball.

Updated

30 min “I’m currently on a Teams call for a school governor resources committee,” writes Rich W. “Keeping one eye on the spreadsheets whilst following the game. Not easy - running the risk of some angry fellow parents should the budget go south...”

Bom bom bom…

Updated

29 min Dest, a real go-getter of a footballer, marches to within 25 yards of goal but then smashes a shot into orbit.

27 min Against that, the only save Wayne Hennessey has had to make was from his teammate Joe Rodon.

26 min The US have been very good without the ball, harassing Wales into making mistakes. It’s a pretty one-sided 0-0, at least in terms of possession percentage: USA 68-32 Wales.

Eyes (not) on the ball. Wales’ Ben Davies goes up for a header with Timothy Weah of the U.S.
Eyes (not) on the ball. Wales’ Ben Davies goes up for a header with Timothy Weah of the U.S. Photograph: Marko Đurica/Reuters

Updated

24 min “All very well you lot going on about Wales this and USA that,” says Ian Copestake, “but in the words of my mum, ‘Where has Emmerdale gone?’”

23 min Pulisic stabs a dangerous pass towards Robinson on the left side of the area. His driven cross takes a deflection and is belted clear by Ampadu.

22 min Wales have their first extended spell of possession. Most of it was in their own half, but it beats chasing leather. They’re not playing well, but at least they have limited to the US to that double chance early on,

21 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “There’s so much that’s wrong with this World Cup, it’s something of a relief when the games are actually going on. Scotland of course took the ultimate moral high ground by refusing to qualify, which certainly beats going out in the group stage to Qatar or Saudi Arabia, as would likely have happened had they made it through. Good luck to Wales, who have Dundee United’s Dylan Levitt in their squad. Make of that what you will, Wales fans.”

19 min Tim Weah, the son of George, is causing Wales plenty of problems down the USA right. He’s quick, direct and has a good relationship with Sergino Dest, who keeps pinging balls in behind Neco Williams.

17 min Wales are starting to settle down after a slightly nervous start. They still aren’t keeping the ball well enough, though, and Gareth Bale has been peripheral. He often is, either side of the screamers.

Gareth Bale of Wales takes on Antonee Robinson of the U.S.
Gareth Bale of Wales takes on Antonee Robinson of the U.S. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Updated

14 min Ampadu has Wales’ first effort at goal, half-volleying over the bar from 25 yards.

13 min Now Weston McKennie is booked for a scissor tackle on Neco Williams. The US did promise they’d be aggressive.

Updated

11 min Sergino Dest is booked for clattering Neco Williams, a needless and overzealous challenge on the halfway line.

10 min: Double chance for the USA! First Weah ran onto a long pass from Dest and hooked a cross that was headed instinctively towards his own goal by Rodon. The ball hit Hennessey, who had almost no reaction time and knew sweet bugger all about it, and rebounded to safety. Briefly. The US regained possession, and seconds later Sargent flicked a close-range header just wide of the near post. It may even have hit the outside of the post.

Updated

8 min “I am a proud American,” writes Edward Sieferman, “but... if your hairs don’t stand on end after hearing the Welsh national anthem, you must be DEAD!”

Not the ideal way for some of our readers to discover they have shuffled off this mortal coil, but it’s a valid point.

7 min Lots of USA possession in the early minutes, although most of it has been in the middle third. Wales haven’t been able to keep the ball.

The Wales fans are in full voice despite their side not seeing much of the ball.
The Wales fans are in full voice despite their side not seeing much of the ball. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

6 min Sod the game, just watch this.

5 min Now Pulisic breaks down the left to win the first corner of the game. His routine inswinger is headed away by Mepham.

3 min It’s been a fast start from the US, as promised. Pulisic is fouled by Rodon 30 yards from goal, in the inside-right channel, and takes the free-kick himself. It’s a poor one and Wales clear.

2 min “Greetings from the bay area,” writes Mary Waltz. “The vibe coming from the ESPN pundits the last few days is very pessimistic. ‘Too young, too inexperienced’ to be playing an aggressive attacking game. They suggest they should ‘know who they are’ and sit back and counter as US teams did in the past. Maybe true. But at least I would like to see them try. And the Three Lions looked scary.”

1 min Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! The USA, kicking from left to right as I watch, get the game under way.

The Wales anthem was predictably wonderful. I’ll post a video as soon as I can, because there are no words that could adequately describe it.

“Greetings from Detroit,” writes Jeff Lily. “As I get older, I’m counting my years by fours, since my favorite sporting events are the international ones. I mark my life by which tourney in which country with which international group of friends, beginning with being in Germany in ‘86 with my extended family.

“It’s a great time, but it’s sad that FIFA has firmly landed on the side of evil. It is a challenge to separate the games from their background. Best wishes to the Wales supporters who had their hats confiscated. Such BS and I hope it leads to strong pushback.

“Time to see what this USA squad can do.”

The players walk out of the tunnel, all looking deadly serious. After 64/8 years, Wales/the USA are about to play in a World Cup again. This is huge.

Wales’s players walk onto the pitch.
Wales’s players walk onto the pitch. Photograph: David Ramos/FIFA/Getty Images
A pre-match huddle.
A pre-match huddle. Photograph: Elsa/Getty Images

Updated

Yunus Musah, who graduated from Arsenal’s Hale End academy, made 30 international appearances for England at various age levels and captained their U15, U16 and U17 teams, becomes the youngest player ever to start a World Cup match for the United States.

The 19-year-old is not a well-known name stateside but that could change in this tournament. His ability to dribble out of pressure, carry the ball into the final third and create attacking chances for his teammates could prove critically important – especially given the Americans’ gnawing lack of a reliable goal-scoring central striker.

Updated

Pick that out department

“Back in the mid-90s I once stood in line behind Tom Jones in a Los Angeles-area chip shop,” writes Peter Oh. “And about seven years ago I was in the audience at a memorable club show in San Francisco put on by the Manic Street Preachers and Cate Le Bon.

“What that offers in terms of insight into this match is anyone’s guess, but let’s just say that I’m looking forward to hearing the Welsh national anthem just as much as the Star-Spangled Banner.”

If you want to really enjoy tonight, live vicariously through Elis James’ Twitter feed. It’ll be emotional.

Updated

“Hello from California,” writes Ryan Casey. “I have to say anecdotally that this is the most buzz I’ve heard around a USA opening game in my lifetimes. I’ve been pleasantly surprised as to how non-footy/soccer/let’s not go there following fans actually know that our opponent is in fact Wales, and many are even familiar with Gareth Bale. Also your cheeky omission of Qatar as a possible last 16 opponent in the preamble is appreciated.”

You say ‘cheeky’, I say ‘did you watch the game yesterday?’

The Football Association of Wales is investigating the circumstances around female supporters having rainbow-coloured bucket hats confiscated upon entry to their Group B opener against the USA. Some Wales fans reported being confronted by security for bringing the hats into the Ahmad bin Ali stadium and others have had them confiscated. The Rainbow Wall, a Welsh LGBTQ+ fans’ group, said on Twitter: “Not the men, just women. @FIFAcom ARE YOU SERIOUS!!”

1958 and all that

Wales have qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1958, when the tournament was held in Sweden.

Back then, they surprised a few people by reaching the quarter-finals. But their opponents in the last eight were Brazil, eventual winners of the trophy, who beat them 1-0, thanks to a goal by a 17-year-old called Pelé.

The Guardian match report from Gothenburg noted that Wales began by playing “fine football” and that they “swung the ball about” and caused the Brazil defence some “anxious moments”.

In the second half, Brazil asserted themselves and with the Wales goal under threat, Pelé scored late on to win the game.

Things may have turned out differently for Wales had their free-scoring centre-forward John Charles, known as the “Gentle Giant,” not been injured in their previous match.

The Guardian report of Wales’ defeat to Brazil in 1958
The Guardian report of Wales’ defeat to Brazil in 1958. Photograph: Guardian, 20 June 1958/The Guardian

Report: female Wales supporters having rainbow hats confiscated

It would be quite the understatement to say that this is not good. What the actual eff is happening here?

Updated

A bit more pre-match reading

“Why this World Cup, rob?” writes Matt Dony. “This should be an absolute lifetime sporting highlight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited. But it’s muted. It’s not just ‘Qatar’, it’s not just the wintery weather outside, it’s not just the interminable (but necessary and important) discussions around oppression and rights, it’s not just the working conditions (David Squires’ magnificent cartoons over the last few weeks have been so moving). It’s a combination of everything.

“And yet, it’s Wales. In a World Chuffing Cup. With winnable games. I don’t want to bring negative energy, because now this is about the football. There is space for coverage of the important stuff, and there is space for coverage of the football, and they don’t have to cancel each other out or indicate support for anything in particular. But separating them completely in the mind is taking a fair bit of mental origami. Am I a hypocrite if I enjoy watching Wales? I don’t honestly know. And believe me, I’ve been giving it some thought recently. Anyway. Here we are. I’ve got that out my system. Any further emails I send you tonight will be as facile, silly and 90’s-music-referencing as ever. (Sigh)”

Fair to say you’re not the only one who feels this way. To be honest, I’ve thought myself out of contention on this one and I don’t even have an attachment to any of the teams in the tournament.

Updated

Meet Gareth, a 33-year-old veteran who loves his country and golf

The thoughts of Wales manager Rob Page

It was a really, really hard decision [to pick Wayne Hennessey ahead of Danny Ward] – it gave me a few sleepless nights. Wayne’s got the shirt at the moment and his performance against Ukraine to get us here was probably the best I’ve seen from a goalkeeper in a Welsh jersey. Wardy understands; the keepers are a tight group.

[On leaving out Kieffer Moore] I want pace up front, and DJ [Dan James] certainly falls into that category.

We’re not happy [about the armband issue] - it was made so late that it’s out of our control. I’m not gonna risk Gareth Bale going onto the pitch on a booking, it’s crazy. He’s waited so long to play at a World Cup, and if he did that he’d be suspended for the third game.

Updated

The boy of 58

“Prynawn da, Rob bach!” writes Adam Hirst. “Well if nothing else, Wales are guaranteed to win the Community Singing Golden Microphone. They were anyway, but with Yma o Hyd married with your average Welsh choir, nobody else can get close. Has there ever been a song sang in a football stadium... or any sport... that can stir the blood as much as that?

“It’s basically cheating, they already had Land of My Fathers, Cwm Rhondda and others, and now they’ve upgraded them all to add this. It’s like City buying Haaland, but worse. Do you know the Cymraeg for tearjerker?”

Kick back, put on a bucket hat and read this, now

Meet Christian, a 24-year-old veteran who lives a life less ordinary

Updated

As we mentioned earlier, DeAndre Yedlin is the only survivor from Brazil 2014. Is he better? More importantly, are the US better?

Team news

The 19-year-old Yunus Musah becomes the USMNT’s youngest player at a World Cup, while Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna is only on the bench.

No big surprises in the Wales team. There are four Fulham players in the starting XIs: Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Dan James and Harry Wilson.

USA (possible 4-3-3) Turner; Dest, Zimmerman, Ream, Robinson; Musah, Adams, McKenzie; Weah, Sargent, Pulisic.
Substitutes: Horvath, Johnson, Reyna, Ferreira, Aaronson, de la Torre, Long, Morris, Roldan, Moore, Wright, Carter-Vickers, Yedlin, Acosta, Scally.

Wales (possible 3-5-2) Hennessey; Mepham, Rodon, B Davies; Roberts, Ramsey, Ampadu, Wilson, N Williams; Bale, James.
Substitutes: Ward, A Davies, Gunter, Allen, Johnson, Moore, Morrell, Lockyer, J Williams, Harris, Thomas, Levitt, Cabango, Colwill, Smith.

Referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)

Updated

Gareth Bale won’t be wearing a OneLove armband tonight. I’m sure you’re familiar with a story that has been simmering for the last couple of days. But if not, this is what happened.

Preamble

I think I’ll leave this one to Michael Sheen.

Yep, it’s time for Wales’ first World Cup game since 19 June 1958, when a future Viagra salesman named Edson scored the only goal in their quarter-final against Brazil. Wales have had a number of near misses since, none more painful or poignant than 17 November 1993, but it feels almost cheesily appropriate that this golden age of Welsh football should end with them finally reaching a World Cup. As someone who is neither Welsh nor patriotic, I won’t pretend to understand how this feels, or what it says about national identity. But I’d have to be the king of all dullards not to appreciate just how important tonight is to approximately 3.19 million people.

If Qatar 2022 feels like a last hurrah for Wales, certainly Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, then it’s the beginning of something for the USA. They are the second youngest squad at the tournament behind Ghana, with an average age of 25. And at 23, Leeds midfielder Tyler Adams is their youngest captain at a World Cup since Walter Bahr in 1950.

All connected with the USMNT already have half an eye on 2026, when they will co-host the tournament and can dream about going beyond the quarter-finals for the first time. The World Cup is also a new experience for their squad. It’s only eight years since the last appearance, but after qualifying for seven tournaments in a row, missing out in 2018 was an unwelcome shock. DeAndre Yedlin is the only player who was in Brazil in 2014.

Both teams had to work pretty hard to qualify. Wales beat Austria and then Ukraine in the play-offs; the US finished third in the Concacaf standings, behind Canada and Mexico, thanks almost entirely to their excellent home form. They’ve won none of their last eight games outside America, but they are traditionally awkward opponents for anyone at a World Cup. It feels close to a 50/50 game.

If you’re into the whole rankings thing, this game is 16th v 19th. (Surprisingly, given events earlier today, this is the only group in the tournament with all four teams in the top 20.) If the other results go as expected – which they won’t, they never do, so I’m not sure what my point is – this will be the most important game in Group B, the one that decides who plays the Netherlands, Senegal or Ecuador in the last 16.

As such this feels like a classic musn’t-lose game, although for some it’s a who-gives-a-flying-one-about-the-result game: Wales are playing at a World Cup for the first time in 64 years, and the rest is just detail.

Kick off 7pm GMT, 2pm in New York, 10pm in Al Rayyan.

Updated

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