England 0-0 USA
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
In the opening game, England showed why they are considered among the pre-tournament favourites with an impressive 6-2 defeat of Iran.
USA meanwhile played out an evenly fought 1-1 draw against Wales in their first match.
Gareth Southgate’s side can secure qualification to the knockout stages with a win this evening and they will be heavily favoured to do so against a USA side who patently lack their individual talent.
The Three Lions will be determined to pick up another win that will consequently provide them with an opportunity to rest several key players for their final group match against Wales.
Nonetheless, it would be foolish to write off the US completely — they have shown on more than one occasion in World Cup history that they are capable of frustrating England, with the sides’ 2010 clash the most recent example.
Confirmation of the teams…
An unchanged #ThreeLions side to face USA! 👊 pic.twitter.com/PpW7qzX3zJ
— England (@England) November 25, 2022
Let's get it. 🇺🇸
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) November 25, 2022
Full Lineup Notes » https://t.co/qSHZK24Kol#USMNT x @Visa pic.twitter.com/e6ny2Ve6Tq
Who do you think will win?
Poll Results:
We’re underway…
Not too much has happened in the opening few minutes.
USA have started reasonably well and certainly aren’t afraid to get bodies forward.
100 - Bukayo Saka today makes the 100th England appearance at a major tournament by an Arsenal player, with the Gunners the fourth team to provide a century of player appearances at major tournaments for the Three Lions (also Man Utd, Liverpool and Spurs). Stocked. pic.twitter.com/tRFs1plZUy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 25, 2022
Good chance for England!
Saka’s pull back finds Kane. However, Zimmerman’s last-ditch block sees the Tottenham star’s low shot deflect just wide for a corner.
England are looking increasingly dominant.
Saka again is the architect, as his cross causes problems before USA eventually clear.
The Three Lions look the far more threatening of the two sides at the moment.
Half-chance for USA.
McKennie’s cross finds Wright, whose header goes a few inches wide from a difficult angle.
England have been quite sloppy in possession in recent minutes.
They had a decent five-minute spell, but USA have pressed their opponents well and kept them quiet for the most part.
As I type, Dest finds himself in a promising position out wide, but his cross goes straight into Pickford’s arms.
Big chance — possibly the best of the game yet — falls to USA.
Weah’s cross picks out McKennie. However, it bounces just before the Juventus star connects, and so he can’t keep his half-volley down.
Musah’s goalbound shot deflects off Rice and drops safely into Pickford’s arms.
USA have been more than a match for England so far, and have even threatened sporadically.
USA have been the better side and are getting closer.
Pulisic has just crashed a shot off the crossbar from the edge of the area after some good, patient build-up play.
England need more from their CB’s in possession, especially Stones who is on his favoured right foot. Too often just playing back to each other rather than stepping in & trying to break lines. USA compact 442 defending so step in! #ENGUSA #WorldcupQatar2022
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) November 25, 2022
Dest charges forward before his goalbound shot deflects off Maguire and goes out for a corner.
England have looked really out of sorts in this opening half — a stark contrast with their opening game versus Iran.
Dest crosses for Pulisic, but the Chelsea star doesn’t get a proper connection on his header and it goes harmlessly wide.
USA need a goal to capitalise on their superiority as England will surely be better after the break.
Shaw does well to beat Dest down the left.
His subsequent low cross finds Saka, but under pressure from Robinson, the Arsenal man’s first-time effort goes well over.
Moments later, Turner has to be alert to parry away Mount’s snapshot from the edge of the area.
Better from England.
HALF-TIME: ENGLAND 0-0 USA
It may be scoreless, but that has easily been one of the most entertaining halves of the tournament so far.
The two sides have been quite evenly matched, with the US probably edging it on the balance of play, despite most pundits anticipating an easy win for England beforehand.
Both sides will hope to be more clinical in the final third after the break, with Pulisic and Mount among the players to come close to breaking the deadlock.
It’s finely balanced as we await the second half, and given how ordinary and sloppy Gareth Southgate’s men looked for much of that first half, the US will see this game as winnable now if they didn’t already.
🗣 IT'S CALLED SOCCER@USMNT fans get the chant going ahead of their matchup with England pic.twitter.com/RUUAICbgyx
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 25, 2022
The second half has begun…
McKennie blasts a shot well over from the edge of the area after Wright’s initial effort is blocked.
It was another good counter-attack, led by the impressive Pulisic, but the US haven’t been ruthless enough when presented with those kinds of opportunities.
Risky tackle inside the box by Adams to stop an onrushing Saka.
However, the US skipper times his challenge perfectly and it goes out for a throw-in.
Really rash tackle from Shaw on the ankle of Weah, but the referee doesn’t even blow for a foul strangely.
Luckily, it doesn’t appear to be too bad a knock for the son of the current Liberian president, so he should be okay to continue.
Good run from Pulisic before his low shot deflects just wide for a corner.
The Chelsea star has probably been the best player on the pitch so far.
A real-time performance-protest from England against the notion of this World Cup as an entertainment product. Brave
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) November 25, 2022
Robinson’s cross is deflected out for the corner.
This is a good spell for the Americans.
Another corner for the US after patient build-up play.
They’ve been camped in the England half for much of this second half.
England make a double change.
Grealish and Henderson replace Sterling and Bellingham, both of whom have had quiet evenings, with USA winning the midfield battle.
Both sets of players are starting to look very tired now.
The US in particular played at a high tempo in the first half and are starting to wilt a little, it seems.
England have looked a bit better since those changes, but still aren’t creating clear-cut chances.
Grealish has seen plenty of the ball down the left.
Now it’s USA’s turn to make a change.
Leeds star Brendan Aaronson comes on.
Surprisingly considering he’s been one of the best players on the pitch, McKennie goes off.
A second change sees Dest replaced by Shaquell Moore.
In addition, another England change sees Rashford come on for Saka.
Pulisic finds the ball on the edge of the area, but his attempted pass for Wright is overhit.
If the US had shown more composure in those types of moments, they’d be ahead by now.
USA look really tired now and aren’t attacking with the same intensity.
You suspect they’d take a draw at this stage.
More US changes, meanwhile — Wright and Weah are off, Sargent and Reyna are on.
We look….kinda good??????
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 25, 2022
The last few minutes have been fairly quiet, not helped by the raft of substitutions.
You suspect there might be one more golden opportunity to win it, with plenty of stoppage time likely.
Grealish finds Rashford with a clever backheel, but the latter’s curled effort from the edge of the box is straight at Turner.
Both goalkeepers have scarcely been tested this evening, though it’s still been an absorbing contest.
England are finishing strong and have won a corner.
Maguire can’t connect properly with Trippier’s ball in and Turner comfortably gathers it.
There will be four minutes of stoppage time.
Big chance to win it!
Great ball in from Shaw but Kane can’t quite direct his header on target.
It’s not been the Tottenham star’s night.
FULL-TIME: ENGLAND 0-0 USA
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) November 25, 2022
— Out Of Context Football (@nocontextfooty) November 25, 2022
Poor performance from @England, but that happens at a World Cup at some stage. The big question, even with such a talented bunch, is whether the manager can change things positively with his tactics and substitutions when it’s not working.
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) November 25, 2022
So that’s that.
A really subdued performance from England.
The US were the better team for the majority of the contest, and could easily have come away with three points.
That said, Harry Kane should have done better with that last-gasp chance and could have won it.
Regardless, Gareth Southgate’s side are virtually through now — it would require a heavy Welsh win in the last game for them to go out due to goal difference.
The one plus side for the Three Lions is that they defended quite well, with Harry Maguire making a couple of important interceptions.
The US, meanwhile, will take plenty of encouragement from their performance, with Pulisic and McKennie especially impressive as the US controlled the midfield at times.
I know everyone rational says we have to respect Southgate’s achievements and trust him in tournaments but the emotional side of me just thinks its a bit rubbish that we make zero use of our two most talented footballers.
— Adam Crafton (@AdamCrafton_) November 25, 2022
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned as we’ll have plenty more reaction to follow.
