“It wasn’t our best performance, for sure,” says Harry Kane. You can say that again, Harry. But as the Spurs man said, they still lead the group and will fancy a result against Wales. A tale of two Englands so far, fluid, expansive best against Iran, tepid against USA.
That’s all from me. Join us tomorrow for Argentina against Mexico. Good night.
FULL-TIME: ENGLAND 0 USA 0
Not a classic this one. England brought back down to earth after their great performance against USA. Very poor, but not necessarily the worst result. USA were the better team, and Pulisic hitting the post with a powerful shot as the main highlight. England don’t go through, but their goal difference against Iran puts them in a strong position. Credit to USA, England’s midfield could not hack their pressing. Well deserved draw. Yet again, England fail to beat USA in the World Cup.
92 mins: Four additional minutes. Maguire wins the header but straight into the ground then into the keeper’s hands. Grealish intercept Musah and wins a free-kick in a dangerous area from the left. One last chance. Shaw takes it, great delivery... but Kane heads it well wide.
England 0 USA 0
90 mins: Maguire strides forward and plays it forward but Kane lacks the pace to get through. Such a lethargic performance by England. England with a free in the middle and they take it quickly. Out for a corner.
England 0 USA 0
84 mins: Timothy Weah off, to a clap from his dad, former Ballon d’Or winner George. On comes Gio Reyna. Are we heading for another 0-0 in the group stages or can someone break the deadlock?
England 0 USA 0
82 mins: Maguire makes a good tackle, has had a fine game so far after a lot of criticism in the past year. Kane dropping as deep as his own half to see the ball. Henderson plays for the back post but it’s well gathered by Turner.
England 0 USA 0
78 mins: England break through the lines a few times but each time is well defended by USA. Marcus Rashford on for Saka. Weston McKennie off for Aaronson, Moore is on for Dest, who does not seem best impressed at that change.
England 0 USA 0
73 mins: Should be just over 20 minutes to go. Grealish already looking more threatening than Sterling. USA starting to sit back.
England 0 USA 0
70 mins: England make changes, Jack Grealish and Jordan Henderson on for Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham. Should give them a bit more control of the game you’d think. Grealish immediately runs at Dest and makes ground in the box but loses it.
England 0 USA 0
66 mins: Another corner for USA, Pulisic hits it over everyone but Pickford knocks it out for another. Who had USA having so many corners? Delivery from Pulisic has been mixed, however. Jordan Henderson may be coming on as Southgate is having a word with him.
England 0 USA 0
61 mins: Pulisic dribbles at the English defence and his shot is blocked by Rice. Good corner was desperately headed away by Maguire as the defender was rushing in to head it. Another corner by Pulisic, again headed away by Maguire. Falls to Pulisic but Kane knocks it out for a third corner. Good pressure. Again headed by Maguire and again dispossessed by Kane, who is playing like a full back.
England 0 USA 0
55 mins: Timothy Weah goes down injured. Bad tackle by Shaw, bizarre decision by the officials not to give a free-kick, should have been at least a yellow it seemed. England need a bit of life, they have a wealth of talent on the bench.
England 0 USA 0
53 mins: Rice wins the ball off Pulisic and plays to Saka but a great tackle by Tyler Adams when Saka was running at him at full speed.
England 0 USA 0
49 mins: Pulisic runs at the England defence and plays to Wright whose shot is blocked, then McKennie blasts well over the bar. Much of the same in the second half so far.
England 0 USA 0
HALF-TIME: ENGLAND 0 USA 0
Very positive performance by USA in that half. Had the best chances of the game, with Pulisic hitting the post and McKinnie missing a free shot from 10 yards. England had a lot of sterile possession and USA’s pressing caused the midfield a lot of problems. Can USA maintain that energy for the second half? Will England’s subs make the difference? All to play for.
45 mins: Sterling plays to Mount who strikes it superbly but his powerful shot is saved by Turner. Earlier, Shaw broke through with a great run but Saka puts it over as the ball was just behind him. Only one additional minute, unusual for this World Cup, but hard to think of any lengthy stoppage.
England 0 USA 0
43 mins: Weah causing havoc with his runs dropping off. Dest getting a lot of space down the right-hands side also. Another chance for USA but Pulisic knocks it wide.
England 0 USA 0
42 mins: End to end and a bit scrappy as Saka gives away the ball poorly after USA had lost the ball. Weah with a great backheel for Dest who flies at pace but his shot is blocked by Maguire. Pulisic’s corner easily headed away again.
England 0 USA 0
39 mins: USA really putting England under pressure and have had the better chances so far against a below-par English side. Great intensity to their play. McKennie’s long throw-in leads to a corner but headed away.
England 0 USA 0
33 mins: Off the bar! Pulisic with a shot from just at the edge of the box and it smashed against the crossbar from a tight angle. What a goal that would have been. McKennie has been good and drove forward for that chance before it fell to Pulisic.
England 0 USA 0
29 mins: More USA possession and Musah has a go from distance, but it’s blocked and easily saved by Pickford. On the other end, a good ball is played into Mount in the box but his touch is sloppy.
England 0 USA 0
26 mins: Big chance missed. Good period of USA possession goes to Weah just outside the box and McKennie has a free shot uncontested in the box, but he blazes over. Positive from USA.
England 0 USA 0
24 mins: A lot of sterile possession by England along the back. Maguire has enough of it and plays a great long pass to Sterling just outside the box, but he fumbles the dribble. The ball comes back to the defence and another long ball, this time out of play.
England 0 USA 0
20 mins: Bellingham dispossessed just outside the USA box. They counter but Dest’s cross goes nowhere. It’s turned over again by USA and comes out to Dest but Pickford easily gathered. Good pressing.
England 0 USA 0
17 mins: Pulisic gets the ball and plays across to McKennie, who crosses nicely to Wright who misses the header well wide. Difficult chance but something for USA.
England 0 USA 0
15 mins: USA continue to compete well but struggling with any kind of final ball. Trippier plays into Saka and Kane goes for an overhead but McKennie gets there first in the box. England dominating possession and like their first game, it’s down the right through Trippier and Saka.
England 0 USA 0
11 mins: Saka and Trippier combine brilliantly to release Bellingham back to Saka and Kane’s shot is well blocked by Zimmerman. Finally a bit of life into the game. Trippier’s corner is well kept in by Maguire but Mount’s shot goes well over the bar.
England 0 USA 0
7 mins: England keep the ball along the back for a few minutes but give away the ball once they try to get the ball up the pitch. No chances on either end yet.
England 0 USA 0
4 mins: Positive start by USA, who have progressed the ball well without getting into the box. England hardly on the ball yet as USA press high.
England 0 USA 0
England belt out God Save The King, the Americans the Star-Spangled Banner. Another staidum that does not appear to be full. Anyway we’re ready for kick-off.
In more World Cup-related reading, soccer correspondent Gavin Cummiskey writes in his Doha letter that this is not even the Qatar World Cup, it’s the first World Cup to be hosted by India. “The natives seem fed up with a tournament they never really wanted. Thankfully, our Indian hosts are holding the line, herding us from holding pen to stadium and back to the oasis for a cold beer.”
[ Doha Letter: Qatar’s locals already seem fed up with World Cup they never wantedOpens in new window ]
A surprise in the World Cup of even greater proportions than Saudi Arabia beating Argentina was when the amateur USA beat the highly-rated England in the 1950 World Cup. England, considered the creators of the game and had only lost four games in their history at that point, were humbled by the Americans, who scored through Joe Gaetjens. Emmet Malone writes the Haitian born striker scored the goal but it is a tale that ended tragically.
[ Joe Gaetjens the man who humbled EnglandOpens in new window ]
In Group A, hosts Qatar became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup as they were beaten by Senegal and Ecuador drew with Netherlands.
[ Enner Valencia strikes again to earn Ecuador deserved draw with NetherlandsOpens in new window ]
[ Senegal keep World Cup hopes alive to leave sorry Qatar facing an early exitOpens in new window ]
The teams for today’s game. Gareth Southgate has named an unchanged side, understandable considering the team’s comprehensive victory over Iran. For USA, Gregg Berhalter selects Haji Wright over Josh Sargent.
England: Jordan Pickford; Kieran Trippier, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Luke Shaw; Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount: Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling.
USA: Matt Turner; Sergino Dest, Walker Zimmerman, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie; Timothy Weah, Haki Wright, Christian Pulisic.
Earlier today in Group B, Iran shocked Wales with a late double strike after Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was sent off. It was a well-deserved victory for Iran, who had 21 shots in the game and could have scored a couple before Rouzbeh Cheshmi’s brilliant strike broke the deficit. The match report is here:
[ World Cup: Iran shock Wales with late double strikeOpens in new window ]
That superb strike is here:
The result meant that England will go through with a win tonight. USA can put fate in their hands with a victory over England, but will ultimately their progression will now come down to their final match against Iran.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of England vs USA in the World Cup Group B at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. The battle between “soccer” and “football”. Will favourites England triumph or will we see “the greatest tie since Bunker Hill”?
