FIFA WC: Resilient USA hold England to goalless draw in Group B match

Al Khor: USA put up a tough performance to hold USA to a goalless draw in a Group B match of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 at the Al Bayt Stadium.

England edged closer to a place in the World Cup knockout rounds with this draw. However, the Three Lions will have to wait until their final group game with Wales on Tuesday to seal a last-16 spot. Harry Maguire had to head away several corners as the Americans applied pressure in the second half after Christian Pulisic’s first-half strike hit the crossbar.

The only time the anaemic Three Lions assault came close to worrying the USA was when Harry Kane’s attempt was blocked early in the game and Luke Shaw’s free-kick was headed wide in stoppage time of the second half.

However, soon their control lacked direction and Southgate’s team appeared unsure and disjointed without the ball as Haji Wright headed wide, Weston McKennie missed a fantastic opportunity, and Yunus Musah saw a shot deflected into Jordan Pickford’s hands.

After that, Pulisic’s goal-bound attempt from Sergino Dest was successfully blocked by Maguire, and England managed to hold on till halftime. There was little to hide England’s troubles in the first 45 minutes, despite a late shot over from Saka and the Three Lions’ first attempt on target of the game in stoppage time from Mount.

There was no improvement after the break, finally, in the 68th minute, Southgate intervened, replacing the unproductive Raheem Sterling and, more surprisingly, Jude Bellingham with Jordan Henderson and Jack Grealish.

Grealish secured a few free kicks near the USA’s penalty area, and Kane’s header from Shaw’s cross in the dying seconds went wide.