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USMNT vs. Wales: SBI Live Commentary

The U.S. men’s national team begins its 2022 FIFA World Cup tonight with a Group B showdown with Wales (2 p.m., FOX).

The Americans head into their first World Cup match in eight years knowing a loss could doom them in group play, while a win would set them up well heading into their second match, against England, which dominated Iran in a 6-2 romp earlier on Sunday.

The USMNT starting lineup features most of Gregg Berhalter’s first-choice regulars, with two expected changes, with Josh Sargent starting at striker and Tim Ream starting in central defense next to Walker Zimmerman.

The other big lineup decision is Tim Weah getting the starting nod ahead of Gio Reyna on the right wing. Here is the full USMNT lineup:

SBI will be providing thoughts and analysis in the comments section so feel free to follow the action here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions as well.

Enjoy the action.

Comments

  1. Morris. Zero fing zero Champions league minutes.

    Pefok got a few Champions Leagues goals no call.

    Game tied, Morris instead of Reyna. Fing fireabke from any serious footballing nation.

    SUM/MLS bias on display.

    Yo Ives, keep cashing your check or are you gonna be brave CC and call this mess out. We ready. We got you.

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  2. This was disappointing. What a great opertunity this was to get the 3 points. Where was Gio Reyna? I do not think he’s hurt. If Gio is on the field, the US wins. Greg just cannot adjust and his sub selections are horrible as usual. Why the heck is Morris being subbed in along with Acosta. Who’s going to be subbed in the next game, Roldan? GB is absolutely horrible.

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  3. what you needed was some direct to goal stuff and little more reyna precision than whatever that was. pulisic had a crap day and they were depending too much on crossing. like the other wales tie.

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  4. FINAL – USA 1, Wales 1.

    The Americans will feel disappointed to not have taken all three points, but they learned a harsh lesson that in international soccer, a 1-0 lead is never safe.

    The good news for the USA is it is a result to build on, and now it will be about. trying to outperform Wales as they both face England and Iran in the next two matches.

    The Americans take on England on Friday, and it will be interesting to see how many changes Berhalter makes to his squad.

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  5. Have to say that second half was really bad. McKennie was struggling in the first half. Should have been replaced at half. Sargent didn’t do much besides the lead up to the goal. Should have been replaced earlier.

    Also the players were to individualistic in that second half.

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  6. GB to me had one half of ball winning concept, which wales adjusted out of, and very little goal scoring concept, the goal was a one off. can we go to goal? please?

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  7. GB never tactically adjusted to wales’ changes, he just made ineffective subs. one-note coach. they needed to switch to like 451 or 442 to address them pushing the RB up and going to 2 CF.

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  8. This team was gassed at halftime. Berhalter took way to long on subs again. Which is becoming a problematic theme of Berhalter.

    Sargent should have been replaced at half.

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  9. GOAL WALES!! Gareth Bale converts the penalty kick he drew on a foul by Walker Zimmerman and we are tied in Al Rayyan.

    Terrible challenge by Zimmerman, shame too considering he was having a good game up to that point.

    1-1, 83rd minute.

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  10. Berhalter goes with the triple substitution in the 75th minute:

    Haji Wright for Josh Sargent
    DeAndre Yedlin for Sergino Dest
    Kellyn Acosta for Yunus Musah

    Musah was cramping up, Dest was on a yellow and never going to play 90. Sargent put in a solid shift and Wright should help with defending set pieces better with his size, along with being a threat up top.

    1-0 USA, 77th minute.

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  11. Matt Turner steps up to deny the first real shot he’s faced today, tipping a dangerous header over the bar. USA defense let off the hook there.

    Wales is finding joy with these balls into the penalty area. USMNT defense is struggling to deal with their size.

    Brenden Aaronson replaces Weston McKennie in the 66th minute.

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  12. wales has pushed their RB up a ways and gone to more of a double striker look. able to build past halffield and get their MF more involved in support without the press.

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  13. Tim Ream with the professional foul to stop Gareth Bale in midfield and draw a yellow card in the process.

    Ream joins, McKennie and Dest on yellows. Berhalter will want to make some subs soon.

    1-0, USA, 56th minute.

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  14. The Welsh are being spurred on by their vocal supporter’s section, which is in the end where Wales is attacking in the second half.

    Bale fouls Turner on a corner kick and negates a threat.

    1-0 USA, 51st minute.

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  15. HALFTIME – USMNT 1, Wales 0.

    If you’re Gregg Berhalter you have to be thrilled with how your team played.

    Composed in possession, clean defensively, and confident.

    If anything, it was Wales that started to get frustrated and lose the plot late in the first half.

    Wales will have to make some adjustments, and are making a halftime change with Kieffer Moore being introduced.

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  16. Ream has done very well, he covered for a Zimmerman mistake and has been well positioned in all of the few attempts Wales made to go forward. His passing has been effective, when I thought he might be in trouble, he made a long pass up the side to Pulisic who was then fouled as he made a clever move past the defender and earning a YC.

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  17. Talk about a beautiful sequence on that opening goal. Antonee Robinson, Yunus Musah, Josh Sargent and Pulisic all involved to help set up Weah’s finish.

    Wales was bound to give something up with all the possession they’re allowing,and the USMNT finally made them pay.

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    • they went to net instead of the flag for a change. if we’re parked their end all half i am not sure what we’re scared about going right at them some instead of nibbling around the edges.

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  18. McKennie has that habit of trying to force things and he winds up losing way more balls than he connects on. He will need to be much more efficient at this World Cup and not be so careless with the ball.

    0-0, 21st minute.

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    • personally this is where i would like to see reyna central instead of collecting splinters. surely we can harass their MF like we are with 2/3 of this MF and have reyna on where there is more central mid precision. also we have to watch playing this intense for 90′ or we might pick up a red. funny but this looks more like 2014 than some would like to admit.

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    • There is a strong overall contingent of USMNT fans, but they’re not in as concentrated a section as the Wales support so the Wales group is easier to spot and feel when they get together. That said, when the U-S-A chants have come off in here, you realize how many more USA fans there are.

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  19. Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest draw yellow cards just a few minutes apart with a pair of clumsy challenges.

    Now they’ll be on egg shells and Berhalter will have more reason to pull them early in the second half, which was likely anyway given their fitness issues coming off injuries/lack of playing time.

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  20. Josh Sargent goes SO CLOSE with a flashing header, but his header hits the outside of the post. That play came right after a Wales defender nearly headed a Weah cross into his own net.

    0-0, 10th minute.

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