USA vs Wales live: World Cup score, highlights, result from 2022 Group B match

The wait for both teams is over. For one, it’s been eight agonizing years after disappointment in a small Caribbean island led to missing out on the 2018 World Cup. For the other, eight years sounds like a dream after ending a 64-year drought.

The match between the USA men’s national team and Wales essentially qualifies as a playoff to the knockout rounds given many assume that one of the two berths from Group B will go to mighty England.

It means that neither the Americans or Welsh can afford to slip up. The reward for a potential winner is not just three points in the Group B standings, but also the virtual elimination of their direct competitor with matches against England and Iran on the horizon.

The USA returns to the World Cup after missing out in 2018 following an embarrassing qualification elimination. Meanwhile, Wales are making their first World Cup appearance since 1958, as superstar Gareth Bale continues to take the team to new heights after a Euro semifinal finish in 2016 and a Euro 2021 Round of 16 berth.

Bale hasn’t played much club football in recent years due to injury, and in the last four months he’s been plying his trade with American club LAFC, seldom playing but still helping them to their first Major League Soccer title with a heroic performance in the final on November 5.

Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights for USA vs. Wales at the 2022 World Cup. Follow below for complete results from the Group B match in Qatar.

MORE: How to bet USA vs Wales

USA vs Wales score

Goals:
None

Projected lineups:

USA (4-3-3, right to left): 1-Turner (GK) — 18-Moore, 3-Zimmerman, 15-Long, 5-Robinson — 8-McKennie, 4-Adams, 6-Musah — 11-Aaronson, 24-Sargent, 10-Pulisic

Wales (3-4-3, right to left): 1-Hennessey (GK) — 5-Mepham, 6-Rodon, 4-B. Davies — 14-C. Roberts, 10-Ramsey, 15-Ampadu, 3-N. Williams — 11-Bale, 13-Moore, 10-James

MORE: Watch every World Cup match live with fuboTV (U.S.-only free trial)

USMNT vs Wales live updates, highlights from 2022 World Cup

4 hrs 39 mins from kickoff: England are battering Iran in the other Group B game this morning, with the score 3-0 at halftime. It’s not a wildly unexpected result, but it’s one that opens some eyes as to how the Three Lions could potentially run away with the group.

It makes today’s match between these two teams even more important, as it solidifies just how likely there is to have just one qualification spot between the United States and Wales. 

John Stones (70), Harry Maguire (51) and Declan Rice (51) all recorded more successful passes than the whole Iranian team in the first half of England v Iran (46). #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/HmvjKy1E87

— Sporting News Football Club (@sn_footballclub) November 21, 2022

4 hrs 45 mins from kickoff: USMNT fans will likely be nervous listening to how confident Gareth Bale sounds in his pregame press comments:

🗣️ “I’m right where I want to be”

Gareth Bale gives an update on his fitness ahead of Wales’ first World Cup game against the USA 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 pic.twitter.com/apTM3HUxLy

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 20, 2022

5 hrs from kickoff: “Let’s shock them all,” was the message from U.S. President Joe Biden to the team and it was captured on video.

Please hold, the President is on the line… 📞 pic.twitter.com/N6CxwOhqgN

— U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (@USMNT) November 20, 2022

MORE: Bale is one of many MLS players at the World Cup

USA vs Wales lineups, team news

U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter says that both right-back Sergino Dest and central midfielder Weston McKennie are ready to play, but it’s unclear if that will be as starters or subs. If Dest can’t go, the right-back spot will be down to young Joe Scally, veteran DeAndre Yedlin, or the dynamic Shaq Moore. 

Fitness concerns aside, there are three other lineup decisions Berhalter will be making at center forward (Jesus Ferreira or Josh Sargent), right wing (Giovanni Reyna or Tim Weah), and Walker Zimmerman’s parter in central defense (Aaron Long, Tim Ream, or Cameron Carter-Vickers).

USA projected starting 11 (4-3-3, right to left): 1-Matt Turner (GK) — 18-Shaq Moore, 3-Walker Zimmerman, 15-Aaron Long, 5-Antonee Robinson — 8-Weston McKennie, 4-Tyler Adams, 6-Yunus Musah — 11-Brenden Aaronson, 24-Josh Sargent, 10-Christian Pulisic

Wales manager Rob Page can potentially line up Kieffer Moore as a big target center forward, or he can opt for a transition attack based on pure speed. The latter set-up would involve Fulham’s Daniel James and Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson partnering Gareth Bale, who’ll roam about the field instead of sticking to any one position. The 6-foot-5 Moore is potentially a weapon off the bench if Wales are chasing the match and they need to dump balls into the mixer.

Page has already indicated that midfielder Joe Allen likely won’t be fit in time for the match against the USA. He hasn’t played since mid-September due to a hamstring injury.

Wales projected starting 11 (3-4-3, right to left): 1-Wayne Hennessey (GK) — 5-Chris Mepham, 6-Joe Rodon, 4-Ben Davies — 14-Connor Roberts, 10-Aaron Ramsey, 15-Ethan Ampadu, 3-Neco Williams — 11-Gareth Bale, 13-Kieffer Moore, 10-Daniel James

MORE: Why did Gareth Bale sign for LAFC?

USA vs Wales live stream, TV channel

It should be an intriguing match at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium as the USA will seek to pressure Wales, while Gareth Bale & Co. look to pounce on the break against a U.S. team that’s undermanned in defense.

Here’s how you can watch all the action in the major global territories.

MORE: A closer look at World Cup Group B

Watch the match on fuboTV in USA:

The Fox broadcast will be available to stream on fuboTV, which is available on a free trial for new users.