USMNT earns draw against England, maintaining odds of advancing in World Cup
AL KHOR, Qatar – The U.S. Men’s National Team earned a crucial point in its second group stage match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, drawing 0-0 with tournament favorites England at Al Bayt Stadium in front of almost 70,000 fans.
The USA went toe-to-toe with the Three Lions, currently ranked No. 5 in the FIFA World Ranking, while creating the more dangerous chances throughout the match.
The draw gives the USA two points after two matches and while it currently sits in third place in Group B, the result makes the USA’s advancement scenario simple: a win against Iran by any score on Tuesday, Nov. 29 (2 p.m. ET; FOX, Telemundo) would secure a place in the Round of 16 for the young Americans.
The result marked the first 0-0 draw for the U.S. Men’s National Team in World Cup play and the first shutout of a European opponent in the tournament since 1950, the 1-0 win against England. The USA out-shot England 10-8 and had seven corner kicks to England’s three.
Matt Turner was stellar in the nets and became the fifth USMNT goalkeeper to earn a shutout in a World Cup game. The entire U.S. defense stood defiant in stunting an England attack which scored six goals in its World Cup opener against Iran.
Weston McKennie, Sergiño Dest and Christian Pulisic served as sparkplugs for the U.S. attack, helping catalyze numerous dangerous attacking forays that put a few scares into the England defense.
U.S. captain Tyler Adams also put in a superb performance as the USA gained momentum towards what will be a monumental match next Tuesday.
Runner-up at the 2020 UEFA European Championship and semifinalist at the 2018 World Cup, England came out on the front foot, but the U.S. grew into the game as the first half wore on having deployed a 4-4-2 formation. The U.S. defense did well to repel some early threats from the Three Lions, starting with Walker Zimmerman’s sliding deflection of a Harry Kane close range shot in the 10th minute. Forward Bukayo Saka created some danger on the right wing, making some good runs and sending in menacing crosses, but U.S. defender Antonee Robinson did well to help contain the Arsenal winger while Dest for the most part kept the clamps on England star winger Raheem Sterling.
Adams, McKennie, Yunus Musah and Pulisic played an inspired game, making life difficult for England in the midfield. McKennie was a dynamo in the middle of park, sparking a number of quality attacks. He set up the first real U.S. chance of the evening in the 17th minute, sending in a cross for forward Haji Wright that he headed wide. McKennie had a golden chance of his own in the 26th when forward Tim Weah sent in a cross from the right side, but his half-volley skied over the crossbar. A driving run by McKennie down the right side sparked an attack which led to the ball at Pulisic’s feet in the left side of the penalty area in the 33rd minute. Pulisic made space to shoot where there seemingly was none, and then ripped a left-footed shot from the edge of the box that skipped hard off the top the crossbar.
Dest was another catalyst for the attack, using his speed and skill on the ball to open things up. In the 42nd, he dribbled the ball well up the right wing and then glided into the box, but his shot was deflected by England defender Harry Maguire and out for a corner kick. He sent another cross into the box in the 43rd and while Pulisic got his head on the ball, his attempt went wide.
England got a decent chance towards the end of the first half with a few chances sprung by left back Luke Shaw. He dribbled up the flank and played to Saka in the 45th minute, but the winger’s shot went well over the crossbar. Shaw also helped work the ball to midfielder Mason Mount in the first minute of stoppage time, but Turner made an excellent diving save to his right to parry the shot out of danger and send things to halftime scoreless.
Things opened up even further in the second half with England threatening on the break in the early going, but the U.S. earned some solid moments of possession. Pulisic continued to show his creativity, driving the ball forward whenever he saw open field ahead. In the 58th minute, he ripped a shot that was deflected out of bounds by England, leading to a string of corner kicks and set piece opportunities in front of a raucous stand full of American fans.
England’s substitutes provided a spark off the bench, but the USMNT defense and Turner held strong to keep things scoreless despite the boost of the fresh legs. England star striker Harry Kane did a lot of quality work for his side during the match, and even though the USA mostly kept him out of dangerous areas, he got his head on a free kick in the waning moments that went wide, triggering a moment of relief for the U.S. team and fans.
Turner was called into action a few times down the stretch on crosses and shots on goal, standing tall all the way through in another memorable performance for a U.S. ‘keeper at a World Cup.
U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter also sent on fresh legs, bringing on midfielder Brenden Aaronson in the 77th minute, right back Shaq Moore in the 78th and Gio Reyna and Josh Sargent in the 83rd, the trio helping the U.S. earn the final result.
Moore and Reyna made World Cup debut, which now means that 16 of 26 U.S. players on the U.S. roster have seen their first World Cup action during Qatar 2022.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
None
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- The USMNT is now 2-8-2 against England all-time and 1-0-2 at the FIFA World Cup.
- After starting the youngest lineup through the first 16 matches in Monday’s encounter against Wales (25 years, 102 days), today’s Starting XI against England had an average age of 25 years, 169 days.
- Today’s Starting XI was the fifth youngest USMNT World Cup lineup after the three 1990 matches (all just over 24 years) and Monday’s match against Wales (25 years, 102 days).
- Matt Turner made three saves to keep his 15th career clean sheet. He also became the fifth USMNT goalkeeper to earn a shutout in the FIFA World Cup, following Jimmy Douglas (3-0 W vs. Belgium and 3-0 W vs. Paraguay in 1930), Frank Borghi (1-0 W vs. England in 1950), Brad Friedel (2-0 W vs. Mexico in 2002) and Tim Howard (1-0 W vs. Algeria in 2010).
- This was the USMNT’s first scoreless draw in World Cup play and first shutout against European opposition at the tournament since the 1-0 win against England in 1950.
- Haji Wright was the lone change from Gregg Berhalter’s XI that faced Wales. The Los Angeles product made his first World Cup start, replacing Josh Sargent in the lineup after coming on for him in the 74th minute of Monday’s tournament opener against Wales.
- A former England youth international who calls London his hometown, 19-year-old Yunus Musah became the only teenager to make multiple World Cup appearances for the USMNT.
- English-born defender Antonee Robinson, who calls Liverpool home, also lined up against the country of his birth.
- Tyler Adams captained the USMNT for the 11th time tonight. The team is 4-1-6 when Adams wears the armband.
- Substitutes Gio Reyna and Shaq Moore made their FIFA World Cup debuts. A total of 16 of the 26-man roster have earned their first World Cup caps in the last two matches.
- For a second-straight World Cup match, 10 of 11 starters represent clubs in Europe – tied for the highest number ever for a USMNT World Cup lineup. Walker Zimmerman was the sole MLS player in the starting XI.
- CAUTION WATCH: Tonight’s starters Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie and Tim Ream, as well as substitute Kellyn Acosta, all carried yellow cards into the match. None of them received a caution against England – in fact – there will no yellow cards show in the match – and all will be eligible to play against Iran.
- Gregg Berhalter is 36-10-12 in 58 matches as USMNT head coach. He is 2-1-3 in matches against UEFA opposition.
-U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: USA vs. England
Date: November 25, 2022
Competition: 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar; Group B
Venue: Al Bayt Stadium; Al Khor, Qatar
Attendance: 68,463
Kickoff: 2 p.m. ET (10 p.m. local)
Weather: 74 degrees, clear skies
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 0 0
ENG 0 0 0
Lineups:
USA:1-Matt Turner; 2-Sergiño Dest (18-Shaq Moore, 78), 3-Walker Zimmerman, 13-Tim Ream, 5-Antonee Robinson; 8-Weston McKennie (11-Brenden Aaronson, 77), 4-Tyler Adams (Capt.), 6-Yunus Musah, 10-Christian Pulisic; 21-Tim Weah (7-Gio Reyna, 83), 19-Haji Wright (24-Josh Sargent, 83)
Substitutes not used: 12-Ethan Horvath, 25-Sean Johnson, 9-Jesús Ferreira, 14-Luca de la Torre, 15-Aaron Long, 16-Jordan Morris, 17-Cristian Roldan, 20-Cameron Carter-Vickers, 22-DeAndre Yedlin, 23-Kellyn Acosta, 26-Joe Scally
Head Coach: Gregg Berhalter
ENG: 1-Jordan Pickford; 12-Kieran Trippier, 5-John Stones, 6-Harry Maguire, 3-Luke Shaw; 17-Bukayo Saka (11-Marcus Rashford, 78), 22-Jude Bellingham (8-Jordan Henderson, 69), 4-Declan Rice, 10-Raheem Sterling (7-Jack Grealish, 68); 19-Mason Mount, 9-Harry Kane (Capt.)
Substitutes not used: 13-Nick Pope, 23-Aaron Ramsdale, 2-Kyle Walker, 14-Kalvin Phillips, 15-Eric Dier, 16-Conor Coady, 18-Trent Alexander-Arnold, 20-Phil Foden, 21-Ben White, 24-Callum Wilson, 25-James Maddison, 26-Conor Gallagher
Head Coach: Gareth Southgate
Stats Summary: ENG / USA
Shots: 8 / 10
Shots on Goal: 3 / 1
Saves: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 3 / 7
Fouls: 9 / 15
Offside: 1 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Jesus Valenzuela (VEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jorge Urrego (VEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Tulio Moreno (VEN)
4th Official: Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN)
VAR: Juan Soto (Venezuela)
Assistant VAR: Nicolas Gallo (Colombia)
Man of the Match: Tyler Adams
