Wales recover against USA for point on World Cup return
- Gareth Bale fires home penalty for Wales point
- Timothy Weah prodded home to give USA first-half advantage
- Iran up next for Wales, while USA tackle England
USA 1-1 Wales
Goals Weah (36) Bale (82 pen)
Wales ended their 64-year World Cup exile with a draw against USA after Gareth Bale struck from the spot to cap a second-half Red Dragons revival. Gregg Berhalter’s team were irresistible in the opening 45 minutes, controlling the contest and twice coming close to going in front prior to Timothy Weah’s clever 36th-minute strike.
Welsh goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey reacted instinctively to prevent an own goal when defender Joe Rodon inadvertently turned the ball on target. There was another let off for Wales when Josh Sargent cracked the base of the post after connecting with Antonee Robinson’s firm delivery.
But USA got the goal to reflect their superiority when Weah skipped on to Christian Pulisic’s precise through ball to finish beyond Hennessey with the outside of his right boot.
Kieffer Moore was introduced at half-time and the presence of the imposing striker immediately unsettled USA. Matt Turner tipped over from Ben Davies’s header and at the subsequent corner Moore couldn’t believe he aimed a near-post header too high. The momentum had swung, nevertheless, and US captain Tim Ream rashly tried to win the ball from Bale, who had his back to goal as he controlled Aaron Ramsey’s low delivery.
Could Bale convert from the spot? You bet he could. The man for the big occasion crashed his rising strike inside the right post to leave Group B nicely poised after Monday’s opening round of fixtures.
Key Moment
Gareth Bale scored the goals that booked Wales’ first World Cup appearance in 64 years; all three across play-off matches against Austria and Ukraine. And the 33-year-old totem of Rob Page’s team slammed home a clutch penalty to ensure the Welsh’s first match at the competition since a quarter-final defeat by Brazil in 1958 wasn’t a damp squib.
Wales rallied following an opening half when they were distinctly second best to a fast and aggressive USA team. But chances had come and gone for Ben Davies and Kieffer Moore and hopes of a point were on the wane when Bale took matters into his own hands.
Perhaps it was the identity of the player receiving a low cross from Aaron Ramsey that persuaded Tim Ream to rush into a tackle on Bale. The USA centre-half’s timing was awry and there were no doubts over the penalty decision.
Bale had an interminable wait before aiming his strike from 12 yards. If he was feeling the pressure, however, the uber-cool ex-Tottenham Hotspur player disguised it pretty well. Matt Turner actually got close to a shot that arrowed inside his left post but the power of the effort was too much for the goalkeeper.
Bale, then, proved the difference between one point and none. Any questions over his readiness for this tournament following a quiet few months with Los Angeles FC – save for a critical goal in the MLS Cup final a fortnight ago – were answered at a stroke.
The state
Gareth Bale’s goal was the first for Wales at the FIFA World Cup since Terry Medwin scored their second goal in a 2-1 win against Hungary on 17 June 1958. Bale is the fourth Welshman to score in a World Cup match following John Charles, Ivor Allchurch and Medwin.
Quotes
Gareth Bale: “We were fully focused on this game. It was not a good first half, to be honest, they played really well and we were poor. It was a great talk from the coach at half-time and the boys came out fighting and battling and looked like we’d win the game.
“It’s a great point from where we were and we showed character, like we did in 2021 at the EURO. We had to come back stronger [after half-time] and show our character. I feel I have to step up [for penalties] and I am happy to do so. It feels incredible [to score in World Cup] but I’d rather have three points.”