England wants to confirm the eighth against the tough American bone
The English can be selected for the round of 16 if they beat the United States that have not lost any direct confrontation in World Cups
MADRID, 24 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The English team faces this Friday (8:00 p.m.) the second day of Group B of the World Cup in Qatar against the United States, in a duel in which they could confirm their presence in the round of 16 if they get all three points, against an opponent they They have never won the World Cup and they also want to ‘scratch’ something positive to continue with real options.
The ‘Three Lions’ amazed and thrashed Iran (6-2) in their debut in Qatar, with an exultant staging of one of the candidates to fight to the end for the title. With a little more doubt in defense, the offensive phase of the English is enviable, with speed, verticality and great effectiveness.
Borussia Dortmund box-to-box midfielder Jude Bellingham was one of the prominent names for his versatility and ability to build, push himself and even score. Gareth Southgate will have doubts about Harry Maguire, who had to be substituted in the match against Iran, and James Maddison, with Harry Kane already recovered. Not too many changes are foreseen in the ‘eleven’, with the mission of not imitating the surprises of other ‘big’ such as Argentina or Germany.
The English, leaders of Group B with three points, silenced the doubts generated by a horrendous League of Nations -they did not win any game- with a resounding victory, which they will want to extend against the United States and make it clear that it was not a flash in the pan. However, the first test against the Iranians was very affordable, so the second test seems to require more effort.
There are two precedents for this duel in World Cups, and neither of them won England. The first of them dates back to 1950, at the World Cup in Brazil, when the Americans wrote the ‘Miracle of Belo Horizonte’, beating the ‘Three Lions’ 1-0, one of the biggest World Cup blows. While in 2010, although the English went ahead at the first exchange, Dempsey equalized before the break, to deprive Fabio Capello’s men of a victory in his debut in South Africa.
A very attractive US team clings to this background, with a lot of electricity in attack, but which was innocent at the premiere in Qatar. The first part of him against Wales was more than correct, with opportunities to go into the break with more than one goal ahead. But forgiving is expensive, and in the end they could only draw (1-1) against the team led by Gareth Bale.
The verticality of Christian Pulisic and Giovanni Reyna at the ends and the scoring nose of Timothy Weah, author of the debut goal, will be the ‘toothache’ of the English defence. To which must be added the work of midfielders like Mackenie or Musa, from Valencia.
A defeat would leave the Americans with very few options to advance to the round of 16, with the last game of this phase -against Iran- as the only opportunity, always depending on the results of Wales, the main rival for second place. Now they are second with one unit, although tied with the ‘Red Dragons’.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
INGLATERRA: Pickford; Trippier, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Mount, Bellingham; Saka, Kane y Sterling.
UNITED STATES: Turner; Dest, Zimmerman, Ream, Robinson; McKennie, Adams, Musah; Reyna, Weah and Pulisic.
–REFEREE: Jesús Valenzuela (VEN).
–ESTADIO: Al Bayt Stadium.
–TIME: 8:00 p.m./World Goal and Movistar+.