Caitlin Dillon
The second Group B match of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 got underway on Monday night between the USA and Wales in a game that ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
Neither side was present in 2018. The USA missed out on the last edition after losing to 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago in the final round of qualifying. However, for the Welsh fans at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium this evening, the wait had been much longer, with many present unlikely to have ever seen their team take part in the greatest show on earth - until tonight.
Wales began their first match at a World Cup finals since 1958 with a heartfelt and emotional rendition of their national anthem - their loyal fans weeping as they filled the grounds with a goosebump-inducing ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.’
The USA got the game underway, and the first set piece came just three minutes in as Christian Pulisic was fouled by Joe Rodon, before taking a poor free kick that Wales were quick to clear.
The Dragons struggled to maintain possession from this point onwards, but the USA were less than aggressive and seemed all-but confined to the middle third of the pitch. Until, ten minutes in, a long pass from Sergiño Dest landed at Timothy Weah’s feet, before being unintentionally headed towards his own goal by Rodon. The US regained possession and a header from Josh Sargent went just wide of the near post. Four minutes later, a nervous Ethan Ampadu skied Wales’ first shot over the bar, before Wales seemed to settle into the occasion with an extended period of possession.
In the 36th minute, Pulisic made a run through the middle, having been left with far too much space, before flicking the ball to Weah who slotted it into the far corner in emphatic style.
Kieffer Moore came on for Dan James up front for Wales at half-time, as the side came on with a renewed sense of aggression, and began to push forward.
64 minutes in, a double chance came for Wales as a Ben Davies header was well saved by Matt Turner, before Moore received the resulting corner, heading it over the bar.
At 80 minutes, Tim Ream fouled Gareth Bale in the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Bale stepped up and confidently fired the ball into the back of the net - scoring Wales’ first World Cup goal in 64 years.
The late goal seemed to energise the squad, and at times it felt as though another was on its way, but after nine minutes’ added time, Qatar’s Abdulrahman Al Jassim blew the whistle and the game was over. After a 64-year wait, Wales had claimed their first point in a World Cup finals in a well-deserved draw with the United States.