Gareth Bale earns Wales a comeback draw with USA in World Cup opener

Talisman forward wins and converts penalty as Rob Page's side recover from poor start

Wales star Gareth Bale celebrates after levelling from the penalty spot in the 1-1 Group B draw with the USA at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 21, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. Getty

Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring his penalty. Getty

Gareth Bale celebrates his goal for Wales. Getty

Bale scores from the penalty spot. AP

USA's Tim Weah celebrates after scoring. AP

Tim Weah celebrates after scoring. AP

Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson celebrate taking the lead. AP

Tim Weah opens the scoring. Reuters

Christian Pulisic of the USA in action against Gareth Bale. EPA

Wales and USA battle for possession. Reuters

Gareth Bale argues with referee Abdulrahman Al Jassi. Getty

Wales players in a huddle prior to kick-off. Getty

Wales' all-time top scorer Gareth Bale netted a late penalty as they rallied in the second half to secure a 1-1 draw with the USA in an enthralling World Cup Group B clash at a raucous Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.

It was the proverbial game of two halves as the USA went into the break with a deserved 1-0 advantage handed to them after a superb finish by Timothy Weah, the son of former World Player of the Year and current Liberian President George.

But a switch in tactics by Wales at the break to introduce target forward Kieffer Moore changed the game and brought them back into the contest, allowing Bale to score the 82nd-minute penalty he had earned after being fouled.

The match was played in a fantastic atmosphere. The Welsh fans were drowning out Al Rayyan but met their match in the typically vocal USA supporters, whose drum barely stopped beating.

Wales were fortunate not to be behind early on when Weah’s cross deflected off a helpless Joe Rodon and hit Wayne Hennessey, with the Wales goalkeeper knowing little about it.

Seconds later Antonee Robinson headed wide with a good near-post opportunity.

The pattern in the first half was USA possession and Wales trapped in their own half, unable to find an escape route without a recognised No 9 to hold up the ball.

Instead, Bale and Dan James alternated down the middle with little joy and whenever Wales cleared the ball it came straight back. The pressure finally took its toll after 36 minutes.

Christian Pulisic picked up the ball just inside the Welsh half and surged forward, seeing the clever run of Weah and providing a superbly weighted pass that was expertly finished by the winger as he slipped his shot past Hennessey.

Wales manager Rob Page made the key change at half-time when he replaced the ineffective James with the tall and muscular Moore, who was exactly what they had been missing in the opening period.

It was, suddenly, a different ball game.

Wales were able to apply pressure at the other end and went close twice in quick succession.

First Ben Davies forced a superb stop from goalkeeper Matt Turner before Moore headed the resultant corner just over with a chance he should have buried.

Wales’ pressure paid dividends as they won a penalty when Tim Ream, already on a yellow card for a cynical challenge earlier in the half, went through the back of Bale, who made no mistake from the spot as he thrashed the ball wide of Turner.