But didn’t it feel like something shifted after FIFA’s eyebrow-raising decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension? Like, there was a disruption in the good karma and momentum the U.S. Men’s National Team had accumulated in its first four World Cup matches?

As news broke Sunday that Balogun was cleared to play in the Round of 16 despite being sent off in the previous game, I texted a few friends my gut reaction: It was an awesome surprise that also smelled like you-know-what. After all, this was FIFA, that seems to function not based on its rulebook but on the whims of a few guys in a room.

I felt a little queasy about it, but I pushed it down in my stomach. Maybe we had earned this. An opportunity to benefit from FIFA’s litigious inconsistencies, which usually feel reserved for the A-list stars. (How exactly the entire group stage, again?)

Then FIFA Peace Prize winner Donald Trump rushed to the first microphone he could find on Monday to brag about making the call that got Balogun reinstated, and I knew it was over. This was all starting to feel a little too much like Game 3 of the NBA Finals — when Midtown Manhattan transformed into a massive security operation to accommodate . His appearance eclipsed the game itself, which ended with the Knicks’ only loss of the Finals. In fact, it was their only interruption in the entire last month of a magical championship run.

This is not to politicize our national team’s 4-1 loss to Belgium, I promise. But come on, man. The head of state for the World Cup’s host country calls in a favor, and suddenly the USMNT looks like a shell of its former self? I can’t help that I’m a superstitious being: that was karma we just watched on Monday night. You felt it before kickoff, and you knew it was over even before Belgium scored in the ninth minute.

There was no connectivity, no creativity, no sustained possession, no urgency or poise on the back line. One of the most humiliating performances from any team in this World Cup.

Certainly, the talent gap between European and American soccer was yet again laid bare, a once-every-four-years tradition like no other.

But the final score in Seattle was not an accurate referendum on either team’s ability. I’m not convinced the Belgians are meaningfully better than the USMNT. I watched their tournament opener in person last month, a 1-1 group-stage draw with Egypt, and walked away fairly confident that Belgium’s fading golden generation wouldn’t muster another deep run. When they scored two greasy goals to oust Senegal with a miracle comeback in the Round of 32, I celebrated what I thought was a stroke of luck for the Americans. Belgium looked like the more favorable matchup of the two.

The stars and stripes were aligning for a quarterfinal run on home soil. Then Balogun was shown a red card against Bosnia, some 20 minutes after he scored his third goal of the tournament.

It was a questionable call, sure. We were right to be outraged from our biased vantage point. Heck, we might’ve even been unified by it. Balogun was suddenly a household name at Fourth of July barbecues.

But the rules are the rules. Subjective real-time officiating is a part of sports. Red cards are binding one-game suspensions. I had made peace with the reality of the situation by Sunday (which was four days after the win over Bosnia, by the way — FIFA couldn’t have decided Balogun’s fate any sooner?). Honestly, I believed the USMNT still had a good chance to beat Belgium, even without him. I was prepared to celebrate 250 with a defying-the-odds victory.

Instead, the president’s insistence on making these major sporting events about himself loomed over match day. It became a national story. Then the game became our national headache.

For all the talk about Balogun, it was like the rest of the lineup felt saved by his presence. Christian Pulisic was sloppy and listless (and perhaps injured), defenders Sergiño Dest and Tim Ream were vulnerable, and goalie Matt Freese was reckless in a decision that will haunt U.S. soccer fans for years. Balogun barely had any chances to make an impact.

Belgium would call that poetic justice. Americans can only look at it as cruel irony.

Maybe we’d be celebrating a 5-4 classic and preparing for Spain right now if the president had called in four more favors.

That is the simple answer. In the most anticipated game in U.S. soccer history, the Americans failed to match the moment, falling flat on their faces, spoiling a magical run with an embarrassing splat.

Belgium 4, USA 1.

This is a team that united the country. A team that played soccer with purpose, focus and offense, finally taking off the emergency brake so all of us on the fence had a reason to watch.

This is a team that finished with 10 men in a victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina and began Monday with 12 men, counting the red, white and blue draped fanatics at Lumen Field in Seattle.

And this was a team, for all of its progress, that was not ready for prime time.

It was a brutal reminder of the ground the U.S. still has to cover after falling to 1-5 all-time in the Round of 16.

Goalie Matt Freese had a brain freeze.

Defender Tim Ream got creamed.

And Christian Pulisic, Captain America, lost his shield, limping off with a right knee injury early in the second half, failing to live up to the generational hype.

Too bad for all those who defended FIFA’s decision to reinstate Folarin Balogun could not help USMNT’s defense. It was a mess.

Think of the Nuggets in Game 3 against the Timberwolves, and you are getting warm. The Americans could not apply pressure in the center of the field. They could not defend the crossers, long ball, or on the ball, and were fortunate to trail only 2-1 at halftime.

The Americans were passive and indecisive, reacting slowly to a Belgian squad that looked like it had used hydration breaks to keg-stand Red Bull.

The promising and talented Americans took a dive into soccer’s deep end and called for the lifeguard.

“Maybe the explanation is so easy,” USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “It wasn’t our day.”

Two things can be true. We can be proud of this team for winning a knockout game, and stung by disappointment over this performance.

On home turf as a host country — let’s be real, that was a huge reason FIFA president Gianni Infantino granted Balogun amnesty — there was no excuse.

Everything was set up for the U.S. to play its best, and save for the last 20 minutes, it was anything but, as the Americans failed to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.

If it were a basketball game, the U.S. would have had 20 turnovers in the first half. If it were a football game, the U.S. would have lost three fumbles. Forty-eight seconds in, I was counting the days to American football and the start of Broncos training camp.

Freese made a miraculous leaping save, but it was an indication that the U.S. was working on a dial-up connection in a game that required fiber optics.

Belgium broke through at the 9-minute mark.

Anyone want to clear the ball? Anyone? Chris Richards’ poor header set up a pass across the face of the goal for an easy score by Charles De Ketelaere.

If only briefly, the Americans punched back in what amounted to the highlight of the night. On a free kick, Malik Tillman booted a right-footed shot off a Belgian player’s head, causing it to knuckle and move like a backup slider as it fooled goalie Thibaut Courtois.

Two minutes later, Belgium secured a 2-1 lead as De Ketelaere outmuscled and flattened Ream on a header.

Pochettino booted a Powerade water carrier in disgust. It was one of the best kicks of the first half, as the Americans had one shot on goal.

Needing a jolt, a burst, anything to gain momentum, the Americans went the wrong direction.

In a play that captured how excruciatingly poor the U.S. played, Freese wandered out of his net to clear a long kick down the field. He inexplicably pumped-faked with his foot, and Hans Vanaken poked the ball away and whistled it past a stumbling, falling Ream.

Down 3-1 at the 57-minute mark, desperation replaced execution. The effort and energy improved, but the results did not. Beating Belgium required a flawless display on this canvas. The Americans splattered Ragu, and Belgium was exquisite.

They peppered the U.S. with shots and left the game salty.

The Belgian Red Devils posted on social media, “OVERTURN THIS.”

While the outside interference was a reprieve for the Americans, it was fuel for Belgium. Americans need not apologize for finally being good enough to benefit from FIFA’s corruption, but in the end, the decision worked against them.

First, FIFA’s handling of Balogun’s red card was shameful. But it is how this organization does business.

We all want to see them get the call right. And in this case, they did. There were breaches of protocol by the video assistant referee, using slow motion on a non-tackling play. No foul was called, and a second look led to a red card. The mistake opened a wound and exposed the flaw in the sport’s governing body.

There is no vehicle available for an appeal. That is what we were led to believe. Then, out of nowhere, Infantino declared Balogun eligible to play. His suspension was suspended.

Americans were right to feel good for the kid, but awful about how it all went down. Infantino admitted he took a call from President Trump, who requested that the matter be reviewed. Whether it was Trump, Obama, Clinton or Reagan, it is uncomfortable when politics bleed into sports.

In the end, all it did was make Belgium mad.

The U.S. picked a bad night to have a bad night. In front of a nation wanting its next Lake Placid, we were left with Lake Flaccid.

The World Cup should be embarrassed by the suspension of United States Men’s National Team forward Folarin Balogun for serious foul play (SFP). It was TBS (Total Bull(sheet).

When a Bosnia-Herzegovina player reacted to the decision by hugging Balogun apologetically on the pitch, it tells you how awful the call was.

Here is what irks.

After Balogun stepped on Tarik Muharemović’s ankle as they were playing the ball, it was not deemed worthy of a card by referee Raphael Claus. Then the video assistant referee Juan Ernesto Soto Arévalo gave Bosnia a Christmas gift.

Using slow-motion replays, which is not the correct application of protocols because it was not a tackle situation, Arevalo determined the play was dangerous, and Balogun received a red card. It is the equivalent of an NBA player getting tangled up on a rebound, and a no-whistle turning into an ejection.

It makes no sense. No person can objectively watch the contact and see intent.

Worse, Lionel Messi, the Argentinian soccer god, stepped on the back of an Algerian player’s calf on Tuesday and received nothing. Zilch. Whether it was clumsy or not, it looked more purposeful than any action by Balogun.

“For me, never is it a red card,” USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said.

There is no way around it. The U.S. could use Balogun against the veteran-laden Belgium team on Monday in Seattle. Balogun has established himself as one of the best forwards in American history, capable of well-timed rocket bursts to create space and unafraid of physicality.

But playing without him for 30 minutes, the U.S. showed how it can beat Belgium.

The Americans won their first knockout game in 24 years because they won ugly. They can reach the finish line in different ways now, a stark contrast to previous decades of underwhelming teams and performances on the biggest stage.

Ricardo Pepi figures to start in place of Balogun. He played for the injured Christian Pulisic in a 2-0 win over Australia in the group stage. So, he is not wandering into the spotlight with dilated pupils.

Everything about the call against Balogun stunk. But this U.S. team should not sink. The Americans made it to the Sweet 16, the bare minimum requirement for a group with this talent. It is time to show the grit that surfaced at the end of the last victory for 90 minutes.

There was no playing the victim. The anger became motivation. It must be channeled again.

Two weeks ago, those outside of the soccer world did not know who Balogun was — admittedly, I barely did as I was researching for potential future columns. Now, every fan is furious and concerned about how the Americans will manage without him.

The best answer to a ridiculous VAR? Go BTA (Belt to bleep) against Belgium, freeing Balogun to play in the next game.

One-score horror: ESPN unearthed a statistic that frames the challenge facing the Broncos, one that I have emphasized when criticizing the team’s static offseason. From 2015-2024, only one team that led the league in one-score wins won a playoff game the following season. The Chiefs had the most one-score victories in 2020 and won a postseason game in 2021 before falling in the conference finals. The Broncos won 11 one-score games last regular season. The best way to avoid the follow-up trap? Play fewer close games because of a more dynamic offense, especially after the opening six-pack.

Condon Knocking: Pretty soon, the Rockies will not be able to avoid the question. Ideally, they would have kept outfielder Charlie Condon in the minors until September call-ups. He is making that increasingly difficult. Not only does the top prospect have 20 home runs in 73 Triple-A games, but his strikeout rate is reasonable (23.5 percent), and he is walking 14.6 percent of the time. Metrics that suggest he is ready for a promotion. The trade deadline is Aug. 3. That should be the latest Condon arrives in the big leagues, as the Rockies ship out an outfielder or two for pitching.

The Rapids, already up a goal thanks to an incredible solo run and finish by Djordje Mihailovic, nearly doubled the lead with a point-blank shot off the crossbar by Sam Bassett in the 59th minute. It gave the Timbers space and numbers to counter, and Antony, with his sixth goal in as many matches against the Rapids, equalized moments later on the ensuing attack.

A Wayne Frederick red card and another Timbers counterattack goal by Kevin Kelsy later, the Rapids fell, 2-1. The Rapids have struggled at Providence Park historically, but it����ap been even worse in recent years, having not won there since 2020. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, the Rapids have beaten Portland once but have been outscored 14-4 in those five matches.

Here are three takeaways from a good night turned ugly in Portland:

Lead fumbled, but squad encouraged

Once Colorado went down a man, Portland broke the game open and created transition opportunities. The Rapids set up in a low block defensively to counteract those moments, but it����ap tough to do so with one less guy on the field.

Nonetheless, the Rapids had a few good chances to steal a draw toward the end. Substitute winger Calvin Harris had the two most convincing: a late move and blast right at Timbers keeper Maxime Crépeau from the left side of the six-yard box, then a stoppage-time dribble into the 18-yard box where he was tackled by Diego Chara right at the edge of the area. VAR dismissed calls for a foul.

“I’m proud of my team. The way they showed up tonight and the way they played, the way they stuck to what we set out to do and stood tall in the tough moments after the red card,” Armas said. “I’m proud of the effort. I have to accept that the game does this to you sometimes, where, even when you think things are going alright, little moments can sway games.”

Mihailovic knows he should be USMNT-bound

With a 10-day break from MLS play looming, Mihailovic cancelled personal plans over the next week on a whim that he could replace a U.S. National Team member in the case of an injury or otherwise, according to the Apple TV broadcast.

After being included on the 60-player preliminary USMNT roster for the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup, Mihailovic was left off the 27-man roster for the pre-tournament camp and friendlies. He still has a chance to make the final 26-player Gold Cup roster since he was included on the initial list.

Like Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady did for an injured Patrick Schulte, Mihailovic could theoretically slot into the camp if a midfielder became unavailable.

Either way, with how he’s played for the Rapids, there’s little reason to suggest he shouldn’t be given a shot. He was invited to camp and friendlies in January, but declined to finish rehab on a nasty ankle injury he suffered at the end of last year.

He had to exit the Portland match with a hamstring injury — Armas called it cramps rather than a pull or a strain — but it looked like he treated Wednesday night like a tryout.

His goal was straight out of a video game: Take the ball at midfield, dribble past a pair of defenders and tuck it into the far-post netting against one of the better MLS keepers of this generation.

It was his seventh goal of the season and 10th goal contribution in 16 matches.

A bevy of notable USMNT stars won’t play in the competition, including Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Giovanni Reyna and Weston McKennie.

“Yeah, of course,” midfielder Oliver Larraz said when asked if Mihailovic deserves a Gold Cup spot. “I’d love to see him there.”

Jackson Travis’s Kobe moment

The youngest Rapids defender is also the toughest, or at least he was against Portland.

He had an early moment Wednesday night that would have made Kobe Bryant proud. In the ninth minute, he went down with a dislocated pinky finger on his left hand. The broadcast showed it briefly before cutting away, but Travis wore an unfazed face while trainers worked to relocate and stabilize the finger.

He played all 90 minutes.

“(Travis) has struggled with injuries before, too, but he’s a trooper and he’s a really hard worker,” midfielder Oliver Larraz said. “I think that����ap a common theme amongst us and you see that tonight. Jackson is a good example of that. He stayed ready and he’s coming into these games and has played well.”

The second-year left back missed the latter portion of the offseason and the beginning of the season with a broken right scaphoid bone that required surgery. Against Real Salt Lake just a week and a half ago, he was surrounded in a huddle by teammates just before the second half kicked off while he threw up on the field. Later that game, he finally succumbed to calf cramps and had to be subbed off.

Whether by incidental contact or lack of hydration, Travis has undergone and endured plenty this season, but hasn’t allowed it to halt his development. He’s become a staple on Colorado’s back line, starting six of the last seven first-team matches while beating out Sam Vines and Keegan Rosenberry for starting outside back spots.

At the end of 2024, he was thrust into a bigger role with Vines out with an injury. Typically, it was a win to see Travis blending in. This season, he’s standing out for all the right reasons. He makes good decisions, can disrupt passes or runs and his speed makes him a threat to join the attack.

The Rapids return home to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on June 7 for a rematch against Austin FC.

Making its first appearance in a knockout stage in eight years, the United States Men’s National Team with an average age of 25, squared off against an experienced Netherlands side Saturday at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Ultimately the youth played a factor as the Dutch went on to win 3-1 over the U.S. as midfielder Denzel Dumfries had two assists and the decisive third goal.

Here are three takeaways from a heartbreaking loss.

Dutch rope-a-dope proves decisive

The Netherlands is known for its “total football” style of play. Manager Louis van Gaal employed it to perfection Saturday. The U.S. got an early, golden chance in the third minute from talisman Christian Pulisic as his shot was saved by goalkeeper Andries Noppert. From there, the U.S. controlled possession but were poor with the ball, as the Netherlands was happy to sit back, play compact and not panic. The Dutch punched back instead.

With the Americans struggling in midfield, the Dutch capitalized in both of their first-half goals, in the ninth minute from Memphis Depay and a sucker punch just before halftime from Daley Blind. They were able to time their runs to perfection and with precise passing, broke the U.S. defense. While the Americans were stout at the back entering Saturday, it was not the case against the Dutch. Knockout soccer is all about precision, and the Netherlands pounced and capitalized by poor man-marking on all three goals.

Striker woes continue

Head coach Gregg Berhalter played a different striker on Saturday, as FC Dallas’ Jesús Ferreira got the start for his first minutes of the tournament as Josh Sargent was held out with an ankle injury. Ferreira, who had not seen game action since late October, did not make the impact Berhalter was hoping for. He received the ball often high up the field and never threatened.

While Haji Wright answered back with a very fortunate bounce which went into the goal in the 76th minute to bring it within a one-score game, the Americans couldn’t sustain pressure and a few minutes later, the Dutch answered back with a third goal. Moving forward, the U.S. has all the components to make the 2026 World Cup a very dangerous tournament, but, one area that will have to improve will be finding a ruthless striker.

With the World Cup being one of the pinnacle events in all of sports, the most important position on the field is often the most scrutinized. For better or worse, it was a defining factor of this cycle, young and exhilarating in the final third, but not finding the back of the net when it mattered. If that can change and an American bursts onto the scene in the next four years, this team will go far. It’s the final piece of the puzzle.

Onward to 2026

Berhalter said he wanted to change the way the world viewed American soccer. While the ending felt all too familiar, there were also plenty of positives to come out of the wilderness from missing the 2018 World Cup. The U.S. has never been more talented, and when all eyes shift to the next World Cup, it will be on North American soil. Most of the players seen in 2022 will be in their prime.

Finding the right tactical approach to get the most out of an exciting group will be vital, and whoever is in charge will have the task of a lifetime, leading U.S. soccer to what hopes to be a truly elite era for the sport.

For Colorado soccer, it’s still promising as ever, as Ethan Horvath became the first native to make a final roster and he’ll be in his prime too in the next cycle. Plus, Sam Vines and Cole Bassett, who helped change the outlook by breaking into the senior team, will look to be prominent members in the years to come.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup had its moments for Americans to take like the fight shown against England, or the tenacity to beat Iran. U.S. Soccer can use it as a building block for better days ahead.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Having scored the winning goal for the United States against Iran, Christian Pulisic watched the final minutes from a hospital on a mobile phone.

“They were checking my blood sugar and everything and it was flying through the roof,” the U.S. star recalled Thursday, “but it wasn’t because of anything. It was just me stressed watching the game. But once I got through that and the final whistle blew, I was obviously very happy.”

Pulisic hopes to play against the Netherlands in the round of 16 at the World Cup on Saturday after bruising his pelvic bone when he collided with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand while scoring in the 38th minute of the Americans’ 1-0 win Tuesday.

“I will do everything in my power to work with this medical team and make sure that I can play,” he said during a news conference, sitting next to teammate Tim Weah.

Pulisic said he took a knee to the pelvic bone and not the genitals.

“It was very painful,” he recalled. “That bone is there for a reason, to protect you, I think, I hit it well. It was sore, but like I said, I’m getting better.”

Pulisic was down on the field for about three minutes before he re-entered the game and finished the first half. He was replaced by Brenden Aaronson at the start of the second half and was taken to Hamad General Hospital, accompanied by athletic trainer Harris Patel.

“This team helps me so much to take the pressure off of me,” Pulisic said. “A couple of years ago, there were times where maybe I felt like I needed to do more. But with these guys I don’t feel that way at all, to be honest. I know they have my back.”

If the U.S. beats the Netherlands, they would reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 and face Argentina or Australia. Players realize each of their games has been viewed by 10 million to 20 million on U.S. television.

“I hope that they can see just the unity and the team spirit that we display. I hope that what’s helping us gain fans,” Pulisic said.

“You can see all the individual talent — we have guys playing at top clubs across the world, but without the brotherhood, without this family aspect, we wouldn’t be in this position,” he added.

Pulisic and Tim Weah were asked by a Dutch reporter how big the World Cup was for people in the U.S.

“It’s the biggest sport now,” said Weah, a son of former FIFA Player of the Year and current Liberia President George Weah. “We’re on a stage and it’s our job to make sure they know that this is sport we play, and I think everyone back home is realizing the team has talent.”

Pulisic downplayed comparisons between his goal against Iran and Landon Donovan’s iconic moment, an injury-time goal against Algeria in 2010 that advanced the Americans to the knockout stage.

“I’m hoping I haven’t had that moment yet, to be honest,” Pulisic said. “I’m hoping it’s in front of me.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Forward Josh Sargent has right ankle soreness after a challenge late in the second half against Iran.

OLD FRIENDS

A Dutch reporter reminded Pulisic that before he signed with Borussia Dortmund in 2015 at age 16, he trained at PSV Eindhoven with Cody Gakpo, a forward on the Netherlands national team who has scored three goals at the World Cup.

“Oh, wow. I never put that together,” Pulisic said.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Pulisic scored the 38th-minute winning goal against Iran, but crashed into Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand during the same play. The Chelsea striker was substituted at the start of the second half and taken to a hospital for tests.

The U.S. Soccer Federation said Pulisic was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion and returned to the team hotel.

A video posted later on social media by the U.S. team showed Pulisic celebrating with the rest of the squad as they arrived at the team hotel.

The U.S. Soccer Federation did not make Pulisic available to media on Wednesday but posted a video of him dribbling a ball.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

However, after 99 grueling minutes of action including nine minutes of stoppage time in Doha, Qatar, all that mattered was the result: USA 1, Iran 0. A gutsy defensive effort was needed to secure the win, but for the first time since 2014 the Americans will head to the knockout stage, having finished second in the group with five points. England topped it with seven.

Christian Pulisic’s goal in the 38th minute was the difference. He crashed the box and got on the end of a cross from defender Sergiño Dest.

The U.S. is set to square off against the Netherlands in the Round of 16 at 8 a.m. MT Saturday on FOX.

Here are three takeaways from the U.S. win.

Tenacity takes center stage

The questions surrounding this team have been endless. Two things were undoubtedly true entering the tournament: How young they were (the second-youngest team in Qatar), but also, how talented they were. But the intangibles — grit, spirit and tenacity? Those were hallmarks of older World Cup teams and why the U.S. often punched above its weight.

Tuesday, this young team proved they had those same qualities needed to advance, too.

With nine minutes of stoppage time for the defense to hold out, USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter went with five defensive players at the back line, sensing Iran was on the front foot. He brought on Walker Zimmerman, a surprise off the bench who had a clearance off-the-line late on, while debutant Cameron Carter-Vickers looked steady along with 35-year-old Tim Ream, who shined again. At the end of the full-time whistle, the Americans collapsed to the pitch exhausted.

Next up, the Dutch

Looking at the bigger picture, while it was masterful defending, Berhalter and his staff knows his team will have to be better in the final third. The U.S. created 12 shots, five of which were on target but if it weren’t for Pulisic crashing the box, it might have been different. The U.S. peppered Iran with chances in the first half, a similar story against England and Wales. However, fans don’t have to be statisticians to know that two goals in three games isn’t good enough.

Hope rings again

Now that the drama of the group stage is over, it presents the U.S. coaches and players with a phrase often echoed in March, not early December: Why not us?

In this case, it’s: Why not the U.S.?

The U.S. has not reached the quarterfinals since 2002 and were eliminated in its two previous Round of 16 games (losses to Ghana and Belgium, both of which were after extra time). Seeing how they suffered Tuesday to get a result was significant, but the knockout stage, with everything on the line, will test the group in ways not yet known.

For a game that soccer fans across the country had circled on the calendar since the 2022 FIFA World Cup draw was made in April, the third iteration of a USA-England World Cup bout ended scoreless Friday at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. The Americans hit England on the counterattack and had large stretches of sustained possession. Even with 10 shots, the U.S. ultimately could not find the back of the net as the second Group B game finished level at 0-0.

With the result, it creates a logjam between four teams — England, Wales, the U.S. and Iran — for the group’s two berths into the knockout stage. The U.S. has still not lost to England in three World cup games (a shocking win in 1950, and now ties in 2010, 2022).

Here are three takeaways from a breathless second game.

Final touch lacked for U.S.

The Americans more than held their own. For a young group lining up against an experienced England team, the first-game jitters seen against Wales evaporated. It resulted in fearless counterattacks in which Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and Timothy Weah bombed forward.

The U.S. had plenty of good looks on net in the first half, as Pulisic hit the crossbar in the 33rd minute, while McKennie had a shot he probably wishes he could have had back seven minutes earlier in the 26th. McKennie found himself open at the penalty spot but rushed his shot as he leaned back and it sailed over.

It was a consistent theme in the second half, as the USMNT found pockets of space through creative, interweaving runs and passing, but the final shot was never there. While it was disappointing not to see the final product, the U.S. made England’s defense look vulnerable.

Back four look sturdy

The U.S. back line was the biggest question mark heading into the World Cup, particularly at center back. But for the second game in a row, it was a case of bend-not-break defending. The partnership between Tim Ream and Walker Zimmerman looked stout again Friday. On the ball, they looked cool, and when asked to stifled England’s well-known attackers in Harry Kane, Buykayo Saka, Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham.

Their fullbacks closed quickly and when crosses did get into the box, it was effective communication. With the U.S. crowd at goalkeeper Matt Turner’s back, he was not truly tested, though there were a few nervy chances such as Kane’s glancing header in stoppage time which went wide. If the U.S. can keep that up against Iran, they will get through.

Berhalter opts to sub late

Thinking he could catch England with tired legs, U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter pushed his starting eleven for 75 minutes until making a change. In the 77th and 83rd minutes reinforcements in the attack arrived as Brenden Aaronson, Giovanni Reyna, Josh Sargent and defender Shaq Moore all came on. It gave a shock to the system, but it was ultimately too little time to make an impact. Even with Gareth Southgate blinking first for substitutes near the hour-mark the Americans stayed composed.

Up next

U.S. fans will have flashbacks to 2010 in South Africa, when the Americans needed a late Landon Donovan goal against Algeria to get out of that group, .

With Iran beating Wales 2-0 earlier Friday, the opportunity at noon against Iran Tuesday on FOX and Telemundo presents nearly an identical scenario: Win and you’re in. England will face neighbors Wales at the same time. Three points is the bare minimum needed, but leaving it all on the field in late November is the expectation.

A victory will get the U.S. into the last 16. Anything less will lead to the Americans being sent home early. The U.S. has gotten out of the group in each of its last two World Cup appearances, 2014 and 2010, due to gutsy performances and plenty of can-do spirit.

With the hype surrounding the England game passed and the Wales result wanting more, it really will come down to 90 minutes of who wants it the most.

https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1596266750210936835

After 90-plus minutes, the first feeling after the full-time whistle sounded: a stinger. World Cup tension is back. And for better or worse, it was sorely missed.

Leading 1-0 at halftime against Wales Monday at the Al Rayyan Stadium in Qatar, the U.S. conceded a late penalty kick as Welsh talisman Gareth Bale thumped home an emphatic penalty kick and the match finished level at 1-1.

For U.S. fans, it will feel like two points dropped, particularly after the team played well in the first 45 minutes. However, in the second half, Wales’ direct passing proved tough for the U.S. and it controlled the last half hour of the game. Here are three takeaways.

Midfield unable to keep pace

In the first half, the Americans dominated the center of the field and on the wings. With Wales hunkering down, the U.S. was able to build on its attack. Forward Josh Sargent hit the side netting in the ninth minute. The lone American goal scored by Tim Weah in the 35th, came as a result of Yunus Musah finding pockets of space as he started the attack. Christian Pulisic played an inch-perfect pass to Tim Weah, who cut inside from the right wing, took one touch and coolly buried it.

With Weston McKennie and Segiño Dest picking up early yellow cards, the U.S. was never able to maintain being the aggressor. McKennie, in particular, is the invaluable engine for the U.S. on set pieces and his physicality.

That space disappeared in the final 45 minutes as Wales, which was playing in its first World Cup game since 1958, pushed its midfield forward and won the physicality battle. Kieffer Moore, a second-half sub, changed the game as he was able to run at the Americans and helped his teammates remain dangerous on the ball.

With the tables turned, one mistake cost the U.S., as central defender Walker Zimmerman took down Bale with 10 minutes to go on a clear penalty decision. The young Americans looked emotionally and physically drained at full time.

Attack looks dangerous

While the midfield play wilted due to Wales’ pressure, the American attack was consistent all night. They played without fear. The U.S. started on the front foot and players like Weah and Sargent came out firing with aggressive runs off the ball. While Giovanni Reyna could have been a key substitute on the wing, Weah more than held his own. Plus, Christian Pulisic looked ready for the moment as he was a huge catalyst for the U.S. attack and came through with the assist.

While they looked dangerous, from here on it will be about being able to convert chances.

For the optimists

While it feels like two points dropped, history is favorable for the U.S. even with a draw. When the Americans have taken at least a point in the opening group-stage game, they have advanced to the knockout round on four occasions (1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014), and have never advanced when losing their first game (1990, 1998 and 2006).

Starting goalkeeper Matt Turner made a few clutch saves, while the defense looked stout for most of the night. But will 2022 be the same? Up next, the U.S. faces England, which beat Iran 6-2 in its first game Monday. The Americans have never lost to the English in a World Cup, with a tie in 2010 and a famed win in 1950.

Kickoff on Black Friday at noon will be on FOX.

The standings will leave a lot to ponder at the end of the first matchday in Group B, and the pressure is on.

+1 after one.

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT)