Gareth Bale scored a late penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw with the United States. In their first World Cup appearance since 1958, the underdogs were poor in the first half, but several halftime adjustments made a significant difference in the level of play.
Wayne Hennessey – 5.5
The U.S. somehow put just one shot on target, which Hennessey was unable to save. He was not at his best when claiming crosses, but it was not a terrible performance from the goalkeeper.
Ben Davies – 7.5
Davies was by far Wales’ best defender. He dominated the United States’ inaccurate crosses in the air and allowed Josh Sargent practically no space to create a shooting lane.
Joe Rodon – 5.5
The centre-back made a number of worrying errors, nearly scoring an own goal in the first half. While he was certainly not at his best, the backline played rather well together, allowing the United States plenty of time on the ball in the defensive third, but not allowing many shots.
Chris Mepham – 5.5
Mepham’s game plan in the first half seemed to be foul Christian Pulisic as many times as possible. However, he actually did a fair job of limiting the winger’s creative space from a compact position.
Neco Williams – 7
Early on, Williams was one of the few Wales players who played well. He defended effectively on the left side and provided a creative spark when in possession.
Connor Roberts – 6.5
On the right wing, Roberts had a quiet but effective match, playing a reserved wing-back role in Wales’ low block.
Harry Wilson – 6.5
The United States’ movement overwhelmed the midfielder at times, but he ultimately won three tackles while spending most of the match in the defensive third.
Ethan Ampadu – 7
Ampadu was one of several players that improved in the second half. He provided a strong defensive presence in front of the backline while looking to play the ball into threatening areas of the pitch.
Aaron Ramsey – 7
With the United States dominating possession, Ramsey did not get much time on the ball, but he was dangerous when he did. In the second half, the midfielder worked hard to keep the ball moving, presenting options in many different areas of the pitch.
Daniel James – 4
James managed only 15 touches in his 45 minutes on the pitch. While the service from his teammates was poor, the forward was not nearly active enough in seeking out the ball.
Gareth Bale – 7
After a disappointing 80 minutes, Bale’s hold-up play rescued Wales late. With his back to goal, the forward went down in the box and converted the penalty soon after.
Gareth Bale scored Wales' first World Cup goal in 64 years ? pic.twitter.com/1h3OpEaP4A
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) November 21, 2022
Substitutes
Kieffer Moore – 7
The tall forward replaced James at halftime, indicating a shift to Route One tactics for Wales. His entrance greatly improved his country’s offensive prowess, though he failed to manage a single shot on target.