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The United States‘ journey to Qatar starts this month as the red, white and blue play in their first World Cup since 2014. Expectations are high for a young group that has talent littered across European like Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Gio Reyna (Dortmund), Yunus Musah (Valencia) and more.
But while the Americans have more talent than ever before, that’s only half of the story. Their success will also depend on how their opponents perform and how they can combat each other in three hectic, 90-minute affairs in the group stage. Gregg Berhalter’s team is in Group B with contenders England, underdogs Iran and comparative Wales.
So, ahead of kickoff on Nov. 21, here’s what to know about the USMNT’s opponents:
Wales (Nov. 21, 2 p.m. ET)
How they qualified: The Welsh qualified for their first World Cup since 1958 through the playoff route in UEFA, defeating Austria in the semifinals and Ukraine in the final.
FIFA ranking: No. 19
Manager: Rob Page
Strength: Experience. While we have seen Page incorporate younger players lately, this team also has important experience to serve as leaders for a team that hopes to make noise. Having the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey is huge, and while there are also young players who can make an impact like Daniel James and Brennan Johnson, this team will only go as far as the veterans take them.
Weakness: Depth. If, say, Bale would to go down, they are cooked. While backup Kieffer Moore can carry his own in attack, Johnson is still young and a tad raw. Tyler Roberts, meanwhile, has yet to score in 20 national team appearances. So they are a team that will need to be ultra healthy to truly compete in this group.
Best player: Bale. The LAFC man who spent the majority of his career at Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid is a Wales legend whose star power got them to the last couple of Euros and this World Cup.
Player to watch: James….
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Source : cbssports
