The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off Sun., Nov. 20. The first game of many was a 2-0 suffered by the host country, Qatar, at the hands of Ecuador. So far, the World Cup has featured a shocking run by the United States (U.S.) Men’s national team and multiple upsets as the group stage has ended. The U.S. Men’s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2014. The U.S. team was in group B with England, Iran, and Wales and first played Wales in a highly tight match. The two teams went back and forth for 90 minutes plus the 11 minutes of extra time; 1-1 was the final score. The U.S. featured a decent attack in the game and a strong defense. In the 82nd minute, a goal scored off a penalty kick by Gareth Bales knotted the game up for Wales. Despite the draw, the US picked up a point necessary to move on to the knockout stage. Their next fixture would be against England.
The Boston Tea Party, The Shot Heard Round the World, The Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, and the 2022 World Cup matchup. What do all these have in common with each other? England versus the US. A rivalry between two countries that has long passed, aside from when the two played each other in the World Cup. Twitter was heated prior to the match. Fans of both national teams went back and forth online for days leading up to the fixture.
The match finally arrived, and the tension between the fans of each team grew hotter. The U.S. had not won or drawn in a game against England since 1950, which is one of the biggest upsets in the history of the World Cup. The soccer versus football debate added even more fuel to the fire. U.S. fans declared that if the U.S. won, it would be called soccer, not football. England fans would proclaim that American fans know little about the sport. The U.S. attack was dominant in the fixture, and the defense played well again, but England’s backers and keeper remained strong throughout the game. The two teams were given +5 minutes of extra time after the 90th minute with the score 0-0. England would get a free kick 3 minutes into the extra time, but the attempt missed left, giving the U.S. one final chance. A foul committed by England’s Harry Maguire gave the U.S. a free kick in the game’s waning moments. The U.S. attempted to play it toward the right side of the pitch, but nothing came about, ending the game in a 0-0 draw.
The draw, however, was a moral victory for the U.S; the U.S. national team was seen as a rebuilding national club just four years ago. The country did not make the World Cup in 2018 and did not make it past the group stage in 2014. A draw over a program like England, who have the talent to win a World Cup was a massive statement for the team. The draw was a statement a relatively young national team drew against one of the world’s premiere programs. The draw once again provided a point. Wales suffered a 2-0 loss to Iran, which meant the US could advance to the knockout stage with a win over Iran.
The US and Iran kicked off with the chance to make it past the group stage for the U.S. In the 38th minute, Christian Pulisic scored a gutsy goal where he collided with Iran’s goalie and suffered an injury that took him out of the game. The game would finish after ten extra minutes, and the U.S. racked up the points necessary to move onto the Round of 16.
In round 16, the U.S. team faced the Netherlands, who was 13-0-5 in national play since June 2021 coming into the game, according to Bleacher Report. The Netherlands scored a goal 10 minutes in and never looked back. They scored one more goal in the first half, 45 minutes into the half. This goal came despite the U.S. defense and offense playing very well post-first-goal. The U.S. brought it within one but eventually conceded another goal, and the game would end 3-1. Netherlands is now 14-0-5 in national play since June 2021. Despite the loss, this year’s World Cup was a massive success for the United States. The knockout stage appearance shows that a once-rebuilding national team is taking steps towards being resectable in national play. If the U.S. makes the World Cup in 2026, which will be hosted in the U.S., they could make a decent run with more experience under their belts.
