Wales have played the USA ( USMNT ) twice in theIr history. It’s the third meeting today and Wales are looking for their first win. The last time the sides met was at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea in 2020 which ended in a 0-0 draw. The first meeting was in San Jose back in 2003, then Wales had the likes of Jason Koumaa, John Oster and Simon Davies in the squad. A small crowd watched a 2-0 USA victory.

Today, or to be more accurate this evening with a 7pm kick off in the UK, that equates to 10pm in Doha the first real contest takes place in the 2022 World Cup. With Joe Allen definitely out but with hopes of inclusion at least by the last group game against England. Wales head coach, Rob Page has a lot of talent to choose from and we can expect Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale to start. Page does have headaches, he also has Harry Wilson, Dan James, Kieffer Moore and Brennan Johnson will all want a start, but maybe it’s in goal where the biggest headache occurs. It’s a straight toss up between Danny Ward who has played for Leicester City in fifteen Premier League games this season and Wayne Hennessy, the thirty five year old Burnley keeper has played two games for the clarets and three for Crystal Palace in three years. Ward, who is twenty nine hasn’t played fifteen games in a season since 2016 when he was on loan at Huddersfield in the championship.

That game back in Swansea in November 2020 was Page’s first in temporary charge. Now of course he is the full time head coach. Having guided Wales to this year’s prestigious and financially rewarding competition, and only having previous experience of management at Port Vale and Northampton Town prior. In his quieter moments he must really beaming from cheek to cheek.

The biggest fan park in Wales is in Swansea. Fan Park Swansea will be screening every World Cup fixture in their heated, 3,000 seater Big Top situated in Singleton Park. Cardigan and Tenby are also hosting fan park events, in fact you can find a string of towns and cities offering a different experience for all the World Cup games. The event in Swansea offers free entry or a small fee for tables up to eight. Bands, DJ’s and plenty of food and drink is on offer.

Fans in the USA can watch this game on Fox. Telemundo Deportes is the official Spanish-language broadcast partner in the United States and will show every match live.Those broadcasts will be live streamed on Peacock with the first 12 matches of the tournament available for free. After that, from 24 November, they will only be available on Peacock Premium. In the United Kingdom, USA v Wales will be free to view live on ITV1 and in Welsh on S4C.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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