The United States and Wales faced each other in the closing of group B of the Qatar 2022 World Cup
A forced penalty goal converted by Gareth Bale saved a point for Wales against the United States (1-1) in a match with two very different parts, with the first clearly dominated by North America and the second by Britain in the opening of both selections in the World Cup in Qatar .
The duel at the Áhmad bin Ali Stadium in Rayán left a historic event, as Timothy Weah did what his father George Weah , the only African Ballon d’Or and current president of Liberia, could never achieve : play and score in a World Cup.
Weah’s goal, the first goal against Wales in a World Cup since Pelé in 1958, did not intimidate a British team that improved with the entry of Kieffer Moore after the interval and who gave themselves to their great figure, Gareth Bale, who equalized the contest from eleven meters to less than ten minutes to go.
With Chelsea player Christian Pulisic striking down the left flank and Lille striker Tim Weah insisting in the middle, the North American team showed spark and courage in a start in which Josh Sargent was the first to warn after nine minutes with a shot that repelled the stick.
The ball barely lasted in the boots of the Welsh, who failed to create any danger; Gareth Bale and Daniel James tried to surprise the attentive Walker Zimmerman and Tim Ream on the counterattack, who spoiled any chance for Rob Page’s men.
After half an hour, after a goal kick from Hennessey, Sargent stole a ball that ended up in Pulisic’s boots
Wales looked for a reaction after the break, bringing on Kieffer Moore , who came on for James Moore, and the game changed completely. The Bournemouth striker allowed the ‘Red Dragons’ to seize the initiative, winning all the duels and getting the American central defenders into trouble.
As the British box pressed on, Hennessey appeared to deflect a header from Ben Davies that almost made it 2-0, but Moore was quick to respond with a shot that went over the bar.
The North American coach Gregg Berhalter tried to change the dynamics with a triple substitution in the 74th minute, but everything went to ruin when Zimmerman entered Bale from behind in the area and the referee awarded a penalty . The ex-madridista, now at Los Angeles FC, was in charge of transforming it impeccably to tie the game (min.82) and give Wales a point on their return to a World Cup more than six decades later.
