sport news BRAD FRIEDEL: USA's tie with Wales felt like a loss but there are reasons for ... trends now
The Wales score will have felt like a loss to the United States team as they walked off the pitch in Qatar.
I was really impressed with the first half. We controlled the game. Josh Sargent went close, there was nearly an own goal and I was really happy for Timothy Weah to score. He's a great kid, always smiling, always happy. He took his goal well.
The tide shifted in the second and the more clear cut chances came to Wales. But the US should have held on. It was a silly challenge from Walker Zimmerman on Gareth Bale, who had his back to goal and didn't have the ball under control.
There was nothing Matt Turner could do to save Bale's resulting penalty. If you have the ability to hit halfway up the goal or higher with that kind of pace then even if you leave early as a keeper, gravity's going to take you down.
It's really difficult to save and I think Matt did everything correct on the penalty - the percentages are left footed takers are going go to the goalkeeper's left. Sometimes you have to play the percentage game on penalties if the striker's not going to give you any hints on his run-up.
Gareth would have been tired, it was hot and humid and to hit it with that kind of force, well, that’s why he has scored so many big goals in big games. He, like the rest of the Wales team, weren’t at it in the first half but picked it up in the second.
Brad Friedel was impressed with parts of USA's display in the 1-1 tie against Wales
USA held a first half lead when Timothy Weah (center) scored with a smart finish
I also think the game showed how key Weston McKennie is and his importance is something I discussed in a previous column. He went off in the 66th minute and while Wales had improved by then, we looked a different team without him.
McKennie, alongside USA captain Tyler Adams and Yunus Musah, were excellent in the first half and I didn’t think Wales could deal with it. I understand Gregg taking him off, though. He hasn't played 90 minutes in about five weeks due to the leg injury he had with Juventus.
If he’s not fully fit against England and we can’t have him for 90, we will have to defend a bit more, we will have to drop back a bit more and often when that happens, our level of play drops.
But there lies a reason I think Berhalter might not have played Reyna against Wales, which surprised me and has been a big talking point.
McKennie was not the only USMNT player heading into this tournament off the back of a recent injury. Sergino Dest at right-back and Sargeant in attack also had some problems, plus Christian Pulisic hasn't played a whole lot of minutes this season at Chelsea. There, already, are four players Berhalter
