Cycle 1
21:00
11/21/2022
U.S
0
:
0
Wales
Paz Hasdai, messenger and voila!
Sport for Qatar, reporting before the opening match of the 2022 World Cup (Photo: Paz Hasdaei Video editing: Tal Reznik)
United States
The American team is back on the main stage, this after the tournament in Russia failed to qualify at the end of an embarrassing qualifying campaign.
The road there was not easy, when the team finished in third place only in the North - Central American qualifiers, after Canada and Mexico.
The current squad is completely different from the one that played in Brazil eight years ago, but the Americans won't settle for less than a third straight qualification to the knockout stage.
Several players from the top European clubs are expected to start in the lineup, such as Christian Pulisic from Chelsea, Weston McKinney from Juventus and Sergio Dest, who is on loan from Barcelona to Arsenal.
Two Leeds players, captain Tyler Adams and Brendan Aronson, are also set to make Greg Barholter's XI.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, sent a message of support to the team through a phone call: "Coach, put me in, I'm ready to play," Biden joked.
"Guys, I know you're the underdog, but I'll tell you what - you have some of the best players in the world on your team, I know you're going to represent the country and give your heart, so let's surprise everyone. Keep trusting each other, play your hardest You can and I know that your families and those of your teammates, and the whole country are cheering you on."
Coach Greg Barholter thanked him on behalf of all the players, who said hello and thank you: "It was a very nice message, honorable president. The whole team is here and we really appreciate your support and we are ready for the task."
The Americans are coming back.
Pulisic (Photo: GettyImages, Aitor Alcalde)
Wales
Unlike the Americans, the wait for the Welsh was slightly longer.
After qualifying for the last two European Championships, Wales will now participate in the World Cup for the first time since 1958. By the way, in the same tournament in Sweden, they were stopped in the quarterfinals by a 17-year-old Brazilian boy - Pele.
The Welsh will once again rely on veteran Gareth Bale, who recently got to know American football when he won the MLS Championship with Los Angeles FC.
First appearance in the World Cup since 1958. Wales team players (Photo: Reuters)
The composition of the groups
Referee:
Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
Stadium:
Ahmed Bin Ali (Al Rayyan)
USA Coach: Greg Barholter
The game setup
4:5:1
1 m.
Turner
2s.
Dest
3f.
Zimmerman
15a.
Long
5a.
Robinson
6j.
Musa
4t.
Adams
11b.
Aronson
8 and
McKinney
10 approx.
Pulisic
24 c.
Sergeant
Substitutes bench:
Wales coach: Rob Page
The game setup
3:5:2
1f.
Hennessey
15a.
Empado
6c.
Rodon
4b.
Davis
14 k.
Roberts
10a.
Ramsay
11c.
Bale
7c.
Alan
3 n.
Williams
20 d.
James
13 k.
Mor
Substitutes bench:
second house
Group
games
victories
draw
losses
gates
points
1
Iran
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
2
England
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
3
U.S
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
4
Wales
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
The second round games in the second group will be held on Friday.
Wales will play against Iran at 12:00, the United States will meet England at 21:00.
Click for the full broadcast schedule of the 2022 World Cup
sport
world football
Tags
Wales team
United States soccer team
World Cup 2022