England ease past Iran and Wales hold USA to draw in thrilling second day
Jude Bellingham of England celebrates after scoring the opening goal in the World Cup Group B soccer match against Iran at Khalifa International Stadium on Monday. EPA
Soraya Ebrahimi reports:
England eased past Iran with a 6-2 win at the Khalifa International Stadium, while in Group A, the Netherlands beat Senegal 2-0.
In the last match of the day in Group B, Wales held the USA to a 1-1 draw at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
On Tuesday, Group C matches commence with Argentina v Saudi Arabia and Mexico v Poland.
In Group D, Denmark play Tunisia and France face Australia.
Nov 22, 2022, 01:30 AM
Gareth Bale earns Wales a comeback draw with USA in World Cup opener
Welsh forward Gareth Bale celebrates scoring his team's first goal in the World Cup to draw with USA in their Group B match at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, west of Doha, on Monday. AFP
The National reports:
Wales' all-time top scorer Gareth Bale scored 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 after a superb finish by Timothy Weah, son of former World Player of the Year and current Liberia 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 earned after being fouled.
Nov 22, 2022, 01:04 AM
Wales will be encouraged by the way they turned things around there.
Nov 22, 2022, 01:02 AM
FULL-TIME: USA 1 - 1 Wales
And that's it. Not the start Wales were hoping for in their first World Cup for 64 years but a decent result given their shaky start. The occasion seemed to get to them in the first half.
Nov 22, 2022, 01:01 AM
90 + 10 mins: USA keeper Turner comes miles out of his box to clear and Gareth Bale is fouled as he seeks to chip him from distance.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:58 AM
Gareth Bale joins the incomparable John Charles, along with Ivor Allchurch and Terry Medwin, in scoring for Wales at a World Cup.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:56 AM
90 + 6 mins: The Wales fans in good voice. Old Land of My Fathers (Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau) rings around the stadium. After their dismal first-half performance, a much-improved showing after the break and snatching a draw must feel like a win to those supporters.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:53 AM
90 + 2 mins: Wales substitution sees Sorba Thomas on for Harry Wilson.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:52 AM
90 + 2 mins: Wales players feeling it now. Ampadu down after a flying tackle. Seven more minutes of added time to play.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:50 AM
Chance!
88 mins: Wales sub Brennan Johnson makes a rapid break, takes it into the USA box but hammers his shot straight at keeper Turner. Bale couldn't quite make it up to join him in space.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:48 AM
Yellow card
86 mins: USA's Antonee Robinson collects a card for a foul on Johnson.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:45 AM
85 mins: Kieffer Moore has galvanised Wales since coming on to replace Dan James at half-time. Hat tip to Rob Page for making the change.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:44 AM
The momentum is definitely with Wales now.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:43 AM
That's Bale's 41st goal for his country.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:43 AM
The keeper got his fingertips to it, but was never stopping that.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:42 AM
GOAL! USA 1 - 1 Wales
81 mins:Bale smashes it into the top right corner! Cometh the hour ...
Nov 22, 2022, 12:41 AM
PENALTY!
80 mins: Wales win a spot kick as Gareth Bale is flattened by Tim Ream.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:39 AM
78 mins: Injured Neco Williams is replaced by Brennan Johnson for Wales.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:38 AM
74 mins: Substitutions: USA's Josh Sargent is off for Haji Wright, DeAndre Yedlin replaces Sergio Dest and Kellyn Acosta comes on for Yunus Musah.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:34 AM
73 mins: Half chance. Pulisic sends in a cross that is missed by USA substitute Aaronson - who puts Weah off while he's at it.