Bales trains with Wales team-mates as World Cup preparations continue
Wales kick off their first World Cup campaign in 64 years when they go head-to-head with USA in both nations’ Group B opener. Both teams will have their sights set on the knockout rounds and victory tonight would boost their chances of making it out of a group that also features England and Iran.
Wales will rely on the talents of captain Gareth Bale and experienced midfielder Aaron Ramsey as they hope to impress in Qatar. Both players are coming to the latter stages of their careers but still shine when playing for their country with Bale in particular a provider of magical moments for the Dragons.
This will be their biggest test yet as USA look to make their mark on football’s greatest stage. They’ve had encouraging World Cup campaigns before, reaching the last 16 in 2010 and 2014, but they failed to qualify for the 2018 edition in Russia and as such, they will be especially keen to stick around in Qatar.
Gregg Berhalter’s team is full of young, attacking talent with Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic their main attraction. He’s supplemented with Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams from Leeds as well as a host of talent from across Europe’s top five leagues. This is a challenging USA team and one with high hopes for their campaign.
Follow all the action from Wales vs United States with our live blog below, following the conclusion of Senegal vs Netherlands:
USA 0-0 Wales
Wales vs USA is under way in Al Rayyan!
USA fans in attendance for their team’s Group B fixture with Wales in Qatar
(Getty Images)
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 19:01
USA vs Wales
The teams are on the pitch, and the national anthems are under way!
(EPA)
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:57
USA vs Wales
Here’s US president Joe Biden calling the USA team ahead of their clash with Wales:
Biden tells ‘underdog’ USA team to ‘go shock ‘em all’ ahead of first World Cup match
Joe Biden called the USA national team to wish them the best of luck ahead of their first match at World Cup 2022 against Wales. “Coach, put me on I’m ready to play,” the president jokingly told Gregg Berhalter as he answered the call from the Oval Office. Biden said: “I know you’re underdogs, but I’ll tell you what, man, you’ve some of the best players in the world on your team. I know you’re gonna play your hearts out, so let’s go shock ’em all.” Sign up for our newsletters.
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:50
USA vs Wales
A reminder of the other Group B result today:
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:46
USA vs Wales
The shirt Pele wore in Wales’ last match in a World Cup ended up being used by a Sunday league pub team in Swansea. It may have cost Mel Charles, the defender who swapped shirts with the 17-year-old in Gothenburg, a small fortune in latter years when such memorabilia would have been valuable; as it was, Charles, who played in era when the maximum wage was £20 a week, could not afford a new kit for the amateur side he managed and so reached into his stash of former international shirts.
Should, say, Joe Rodon or Chris Mepham end up with Lionel Messi’s top in a potential quarter-final in December, it is unlikely to meet with a similar fate. But it is one illustration of how times have changed since Wales last graced the global stage. In 1958, 25 percent of the teams were the Home Nations; there was a British pot in the draw. And if that ensured they could not face each other in the group stage then, now, as in Euro 2016, Wales are pooled with England. They topped that pool on their way to the semi-finals and a small country have shown they can go a long way: Wales have escaped the group stage in 1958, 2016 and Euro 2020.
Here’s a look at their chances in Qatar:
Richard Jolly21 November 2022 18:39
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:29
USA vs Wales
Most observers expect these two teams to be vying for second place in Group B, with England favourites to qualify atop the group. As such, this game could end up deciding which of these nations advances to the knockout rounds, meaning it may well be an especially tense affair. That could just lead to a low-scoring draw. USA 1-1 Wales.
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:21
USA vs Wales
Now, with Senegal vs Netherlands in the books, we move back to Group B…
It’s USA vs Wales up next, and we’ve got you covered with all the build-up and live match updates.
A reminder that England breezed past Iran 6-2 in the same group earlier today.
Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic starts for USA against Wales
(AP)
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:17
Senegal 0-1 Netherlands
“It took 85 minutes but the Netherlands are finally alive at this World Cup. It took Cody Gakpo, with their very first shot on target of an even contest, to break a deadlock that didn’t look like being broken and give the Dutch the start they so wanted here in Doha.
“Louis van Gaal’s side, back on this stage for the first time since 2014, have high hopes of a deep run after a strong qualifying campaign and they’re on the board after a hard-won 2-0 victory over Senegal to tie Ecuador at the top of the fledgling Group A.”
Here’s Ben Burrows with the match report from Qatar:
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:12
Senegal 0-1 Netherlands
Next up, by the way, is USA vs Wales in Group B, in which England thrashed Iran 6-2 earlier.
Here are the confirmed line-ups for the late game today:
USA XI: Turner, Dest, Zimmerman, Adams, Robinson, Musah, McKennie, Pulisic, Ream, Weah, Sargent.
Wales XI: Hennessey, Mepham, Rodon, B Davies, Roberts, Ampadu, Ramsey, Wilson, N Williams, James, Bale.
Wales captain and forward Gareth Bale starts against USA
(REUTERS)
Alex Pattle21 November 2022 18:05