Pulisic slipped in Weah with through ballWeah finished chance to put USMNT ahead 1-0Wales answered with late penalty
WHAT HAPPENED? Weah scored 36 minutes into his World Cup debut with Pulisic’s help, but a foul by Walker Zimmerman in the box allowed Gareth Bale to equalize in the 82nd minute to seal a 1-1 draw.
WHAT THEY SAID: “Christian gave me a beautiful ball and it was up to me to finish it,” Weah told reporters after the match.
The forward added on the result: “It felt like in the first half we had a lot of energy, a lot of momentum … and then coming into the second-half we dialed down and Wales turned it up a notch. They started pressing us, they had most of the ball and I think at the end that’s what really hurt us.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: While the result was disappointing for the USMNT given its first-half dominance, Weah’s chance conversion was a bright spot that could earn him another start. He was picked ahead of Brenden Aaronson and Gio Reyna and rewarded Gregg Berhalter’s faith.
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DID YOU KNOW? Weah’s goal was his fourth for the USMNT. Four of the last five World Cup goals scored by Americans were one of the player’s first four goals ever for the team.
WHAT NEXT FOR WEAH AND PULISIC? As long as Pulisic’s late-game fitness problems aren’t serious, he should again team up with Weah atop the USMNT’s attack on Friday against England.