England is weakening in a tired 0-0 draw against the USA – now there is a thriller in Group B about the round of 16.
Gareth Southgate frowned as England fans whistled in the stands after the tired zero against the USA. Harry Kane slunk off the pitch, head down.
“It wasn’t our best performance, we just didn’t find the key,” said the Three Lions captain.
No magic, no goals – but good luck: co-favorite England missed out on the early qualification for the round of 16 due to the 0-0 draw. While Kane and Co. missed a lot four days after the furious 6:2 against Iran, Christian Pulisic and Co. deserved the sensation – but the US boys didn’t use their chances.
This means that there will be a thriller in the fight for the round of 16 in Group B on Tuesday: All four teams have chances. Even England (4 points) still have to tremble in the “Battle of Britain” against Wales (1), the USA (2) have to deal with Iran (3).
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“Our position in the group is still good,” said Kane. But the English can’t really be happy about their record: The Three Lions are now the sole draw king at the world championships, they have drawn for the 22nd time.
English without shine
While the arch over Wembley Stadium in London shone in the rainbow colors at home, the Southgate team hardly shone in front of 68,463 spectators.
Captain Harry Kane had the first good chance of the game (10′), but overall the English took it easy despite their strong offensive line-up. There was a lack of pace and wit to put pressure on the well-organized defense of the underdog.
And the US was by no means hiding. “We want to hurt them,” said coach Gregg Berhalter – and they did. The former Dortmund player Pulisic and Timothy Weah, whose father George, football idol and President of Liberia, was watching from the stands, quickly went forward after winning the ball.
Pulisic hits the bar
Weston McKennie (26th) and Pulisic, who hit the crossbar in the 33rd minute, made the fans dream of a coup similar to that of 1950, when the then football dwarf USA inflicted an unforgettable World Cup humiliation on England.
England just didn’t manage to put the wings Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka in the limelight – because the Americans put a lot of effort into consistently closing the spaces when the opponents had possession. The favorite wobbled again and again, the USA became more self-confident by the minute.
Among other things, Bellingham had to leave the field after a poor performance in the middle of the second half, while Gareth Southgate tried to create new momentum with Jack Grealish and Jordan Henderson. But the USA continued to defend themselves bravely – and so it remained exciting until the end and was already 0-0 for the fifth time in the course of the tournament.
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