Wales has marked their coming back to the World Cup after a 64 years absence from the competition. A late penalty was scored by Gareth Bale and earned his country a valuable point in their bid to escape Group B. Tim Weah, who is one of the great African player son had given USA a well-deserved lead after dropping a stunner goal for the country.
However, both sides are now involved in a goals race. Which means whoever can score more against Iran or who can concede fewer against England might pass the group stage. Nevertheless, football is a funny sport so we might not know who will be qualifying but we shouldn’t forget they have just 3 matches to play in the group stages.
USA dominated the first half, their extra man in midfield emphasising the differential in speed, athleticism and enterprise. Though they struggled to create chances Wayne Hennessey’s only serious save came following a header by Joe Rodon, Wales’ centre-back – a goal looked inevitable, and when it came it was a beauty, Christian Pulisic scorching through midfield and sliding a pass in behind for Weah, who finished with calm precision.
Robert Page sent on Kieffer Moore for the second half, and his ability to run channels and hold the ball up allowed Wales to get a foothold in the game. Though they didn’t create many chances – Bale was anonymous until he wasn’t – on 80 minutes, Tim Ream went through the back of their talisman unnecessarily, and the penalty was despatched with the fury of the generations.
Robert Page has done a really good job since taking over from Ryan Giggs, but he got his starting XI badly wrong tonight, and was fortunate his side were still in the game at half-time, when he changed things.
It made some sort of sense to go for pace up front, but not when his team had no out-ball – and especially against a younger, faster stronger side, with an extra man in midfield.
It might be that, against Iran, Page opts to go with Kieffer Moore, who made such a difference when he came on. But they will present a different challenge, so Page must also be careful he doesn’t pick the side he should’ve picked tonight for that match. In that game, Wales should have no problem getting on the ball, so perhaps the smart choice would be Brennan Johnson, who looked lively when he came on and whose trickery might help create space against a side likely to sit back.
No player stood out in a game of low quality, but KIEFFER Moore’s arrival into it made a greater impact than anything else. A sensational match that worth the time spent watching. What are your thoughts?