AL KHOR, Qatar — Loud jeers rang around Al Bayt Stadium. England’s fans were not happy. The United States had frustrated them yet again at a World Cup.
That’s three times and counting that the teams have met on soccer’s biggest stage, and England is still waiting for its first win against the Americans after a 0-0 draw Friday.
Coach Gareth Southgate had reminded his players of that record beforehand, with the U.S. famously winning 1-0 in 1950 and playing out a 1-1 draw in 2010. They didn’t seem to heed his warning and didn’t respond to Gregg Berhalter’s young and energetic team.
England beat Iran 6-2 in its opening game in Qatar to justify its status as one of the tournament favorites, but it could consider itself fortunate not to have dropped another match to the Americans, whose Christian Pulisic hit the crossbar with a first-half strike and whose Weston McKinnie lifted a shot over the net from 8 yards out.
England fans had turned up in anticipation of celebrating a win and qualification to the knockout stages with a game to play against Wales.