USA possible starting lineup for game 1 of the group stage vs Wales
What lineup will Gregg Berhalter go with against Wales?
The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan will be the host of the USMNT when they take on Wales in their opening group game on Monday. In their last match, a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia, eyebrows were raised over the performance of a team who hopes to get out of a potentially slippy group containing Wales and Iran. Add to that a 2-0 defeat against Japan and you have the making of a team whose recent results desperately require a flip of the form book for the big occasion.
Team news
It appears Matt Turner has the advantage over Ethan Horvath in goal, given the Arsenal man played in the two aforementioned friendlies, so perhaps we should expect to see that continue.
At the back, things look to be fairly settled, with Zimmerman and Ream the likely starters. Aaron Long could feature, but chances are he will have to wait to get his chance on the big stage.
The midfield is where things get very exciting: Adams, McKennie and Musah are three sources of infinitely renewable energy and will give a dynamism and directness to their play that might just catch out their opponents (I’m looking at you, England).
The front line is just as interesting but definitely more difficult to predict, as it could well change on a game-by-game basis. Pulisic is a guarantee, as is Ferreira.
The question mark comes on the right: Gio Reyna has really embraced his national team and Berhalter appears to be find of the forward but Brenden Aaronson’s relentlessness is a the best representation of an anthropomorphic sun, he is a huge ball of fire and light and energy that never seems to run out of fuel. Maybe one day he will expand to 1,000 times his current size and swallow us all; until then, Gregg Berhalter should use him as much as he can.
Predicted line-up:
- Turner; Dest, Zimmerman, Ream, Robinson; Adams, McKennie, Yunus; Aaronson, Ferreira, Pulisic
Group B World Cup fixtures
21 November: Khalifa International Stadium: England-Iran 08:00 am ET / 05:00 am PT
21 November: Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium: USA-Wales 02:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT
25 November: Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium: Wales-Iran 05:00 am ET / 02:00 am PT
25 November: Al Bayt Stadium: England-USA 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT
29 November: Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium: Wales-England 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT
29 November: Al Thumama Stadium: Iran-USA 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT