Gareth Bale saves Wales against USA

USA 1-1 Wales

Goals: Weah (36^e) for Team USA // Basel (82^eSP) for Dragons

Football is like this: there are the regular players, the fragile players, the young prodigies without a future, the executive players, and there is Gareth Bale, a proud member of the player caste of moments. Monday evening, in Doha, in an Ahmed-Ben Ali stadium which offered a pre-match ceremony worthy of a final, the United States, although largely superior for a good part of the meeting, had the bad idea to leave a long petrified Wales within gunshot. The risk was known, Bale left.

young and pretty

Wales have been waiting to see the color of a World Cup match for 58 years, but their fans, unleashed and bogged down, will need less than 58 seconds to sum up the first part of their Doha evening for the absentees. Simple: the United States, carried by the second youngest workforce in the World Cup, dreamed of being able to hold the ball to pull the tongues of Rob Page’s Dragons as far as possible, and their wish was realized without forcing too much. Urgent, aggressive, toned, vertical and thoughtful in their circuits, the American youth even needed only a few seconds to set the tone for the country’s first World Cup match in eight years against the Welsh quickly overtaken by the energy of Pulisic, who came to Qatar disguised as Ted Ligety, and the ingenuity of the organization without a ball from the band to Berhalter. As a result, we saw the United States feasting on the chew throughout the first period, Dest and Weah notably displaying an exciting connection on the right side, the second even pushing Rodon to deflect a powerful cross on Hennessey in first intention. before a second thrill caused by another helmet shot signed Sargent (11^e). A Welsh reaction? Timid, only, Ampadu sending a heavy strike without danger out of bounds at the end of the first quarter of an hour (14^e) and the rest of the half being marred by the many red technical errors. Then, the score had to be settled: nine minutes before the intermission, after a marvel of collective sequence, initiated by Pulisic, relayed by Sargent and finished deliciously by Timothy Weah, yet still with no goal scored with LOSC this season (1-0, 36^e). poetic justice.

Bale, of course

Under water and tired of seeing his men unable to get out of the American dry cleaners, Page reacted by pulling out of his bench a former lifeguard, Kieffer Moore, 198 centimeters tall and recently compared to a “flying heron” by a former teammate interviewed by The Athletic. Another match then opened with Wales coming back to life, Turner pushed to the feat on a header from Ben Davies (64^e) and Moore very close to equalizing from a corner (65^e). Moment chosen by Gregg Berhalter to sort through his cards – Aaronson, Acosta, Yedlin and Wright were then sent to the track in turn – and give a boost to an orchestra which will finally be blown at the end of the match following a fault – severe? – from Zimmerman to Basel. Penalty scratched by the boss and penalty converted by the boss (1-1, 82^e) : point saved after a more successful second act. For the game, however, an appointment must already be made on Friday evening, for the duel between England and the United States. Earlier in the morning, another type of popcorn will be expected. United States (4-3-3): Turner – Dest (Yedlin, 74th), Zimmerman, Ream, Robinson – Musah (Wright, 74^e), Adams, McKennie (Aaronson, 66th) – Weah (Morris, 88^e), Sargent (Acosta, 74^e), Pulisic. Coach: Gregg Berhalter.
Wales (3-4-3): Hennessey-Mepham, Rodon, Davies-Roberts, Ampadu (Morrell, 90^e), Ramsey, Williams (Johnson, 79^e) – Wilson (Thomas, 90^e), Bale, James (Moore, 46^e). Coach: Robert Page.

By Maxime Brigand, at the Ahmed-Ben Ali stadium