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England’s Three Lions were tamed tonight by the USA in their second World Cup match – but are still likely to qualify unless Wales preside over a mammoth victory.
The 0-0 bore draw tonight placed special emphasis on the next game against Gareth Bale and his countrymen.
England are still highly likely to make the next stages of the competition with only a four goal-difference thrashing by Wales possible to derail that.
It was already being dubbed the Battle of Britain as excitement peaked this evening.
Before the match tonight it seemed inconceivable Kane and co would not go straight through tonight.
Harry Kane looked disappointed as the minutes ticked down to the boring 0-0 stalemate
Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson echoed many fans with this action as the match ended all square
Waiting for Tuesday to arrive: Wales now have a slim chance to qualify in their next match
But a disappointing 90 minutes left them needing to get a result in the last game.
The match had started well when Kane had a spectacular chance in the ninth minute which was deflected out for a corner.
But Three Lions fans’ hearts were in their mouths on 25 minutes as Weston McKennie fluffed a chance for the US to go ahead in the half’s best chance.
Manager Gareth Southgate admitted: ‘I knew it would be difficult for us. We didn’t have quite have that same zip
‘But that is going to happen we are not going to roll through a tournament. The objective is to get out of the group. We have done it in the first two games in the past two tournaments.’
Some England fans expressed their disquiet as the whistle sounded at the game’s end
Jordan Pickford was seen going berserk at the defensive errors that saw US mount attacks
It was the US that narrowly had the best of the first 45 minutes, imposing real pressure on England.
The second half followed a similar pattern and Jack Grealish was brought on as the clock ticked to 70 minutes, but did not immediately create much impact.
With the match stuck in a stalemate and few scintillating moment for supporters to enjoys, the stadium’s giant screens appeared to catch a fan asleep.
It was down to Marcus Rashford in the 86th minute to curl an attempt in, only for it to be caught by US keeper Matt Turner.
England’s Mason Mount reacts during a nailbiting clash with the USA in Qatar
England’s John Stones and USA’s Christian Pulisic (right) battle for the ball as the Lion defends
Then Kane sent a great header wide from a corner in the dying moments of the match.
England fan Umer Gupta, 24, told MailOnline: ‘It’s not the worst outcome we could have had.
‘I just thought at the last moment they were going to do it – but they didn’t’
American fans goaded their rivals by repeatedly singing: ‘It’s called soccer…it’s called soccer.’
In the first half they had called out ‘Pour the tea in the harbour.’
Kane had a spectacular chance in the ninth minute but was deflected for a harmless corner
England’s Harry Maguire and Timothy Weah of the USA compete for the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match
In 2019, US women’s star Alex Morgan similarly taunted England when she mimed sipping tea at the World Cup semi-final after scoring the winning goal.
As is customary now, England took the knee before kick off, but there was no sign of the rainbow armband that’s controversy dogged the competition build-up.
Earlier they had belted the national anthem as they fired themselves up to take on their American adversaries on the pitch.
They also sang God Save The King before their crunch clash against USA kicked off.
England’s Raheem Sterling and the USA’s Sergino Dest clash in tonight’s match
An England fan pulls a face during the tense first half of England’s clash with the USA
David Beckham, who has kept an uncharacteristically low profile, slipped into the stadium shortly before kick-off and took a seat in a hospitality box.
Captain Harry Kane, 29, looked focused in the tunnel before the squads came out, as a spectacular light and fireworks show heralded their arrival.
More than 8,000 England fans were inside the Al Bayt stadium in the hope of helping to roar them to victory.
Kane‘s men face a tough test against the team that features a number of Premier League stars, who play at Leeds United.
Sasha Attwood, girlfriend of England’s Jack Grealish, in the stands
England manager Gareth Southgate cut an animated figure on the sideline as the match began
An England supporter cheers ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between England and USA
Eric Dier’s partner Anna Modler flashed a grin as the high tempo game got underway
Harry Maguire’s wife Fern Hawkins looked anxious as she watched England take on the US
Conor Coady’s wife Aime shared a joke before the kick-off just after 7pm tonight in Qatar
David Beckham is seen prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between England and USA at Al Bayt Stadium on November 25
Arran Ransdale’s partner Georgina Irwin stuns in yellow from the crowd in Qatar as thousands of spectators cheer on Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions
Kennedy Alexa, James Maddison’s partner, cheers on the Three Lions during the clash
England team WAGS and families before the big kick-up posed up with a replica World Cup
Earlier fans were guided to buses from the nearest metro station for a 25-minute journey to reach the ground in Al Khor, north of Doha.
England fan Jim Noyce, 59, from Rugby, arrived on a shuttle flight from Dubai and questioned how smoothly things will run at the 68,895-capacity stadium.
He said: ‘Compared to where we were on Monday, this is a real trek.
‘The people are friendly, really happy, can’t do enough for you, I just think they weren’t expecting the number of people to come.’
Fired up: The England team sang God Save the King as they prepared to begin the match
A spectacular light and fireworks show had opened the match before the players came out
‘Kick it in there’ Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish ready to score
England captain Harry Kane took in the atmosphere ahead of the match starting at 7pm
Jordan Pickford jokes with John Stones ahead of the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Al Bayt Stadium
England fans in the stands before the FIFA World Cup Group B hoping to defeat the USA squad
England fans ahead of the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
England’s goalkeeper #01 Jordan Pickford drinks water during warm up ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between England and USA
A fan of USA with a hat and USA sunglasses during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match
He added: ‘For us we’ve got no panic, we don’t go home until eight o’clock tomorrow morning so, worst scenario, we’d have to get a taxi.
‘I just wonder about the logistics of it, is it such a great idea?
‘But in general it’s everything you need.’
On whether England will follow Germany’s lead and make a stand after Fifa prevented the use of rainbow-coloured armbands, Mr Noyce said: ‘I think they’ll bide their time and pick the game they’re going to do it.
England and US supporters put tonight’s rivalries aside to pose up for a pre-match photograph
England fans ahead of the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
The clash at 7pm tonight will be highly contested and expectations for another England win
England fans at the Al Bay Stadium for the England v USA match, Doha, Qatar FIFA World Cup
Germany are playing Spain on Sunday, I think they’ll wear the rainbow and if Germany do, I think England will follow.’
Craig Carter, 51, and Richard Copper, 49, were among a group of four friends originally from England, and now living in Adelaide in Australia, who have travelled to watch 18 games in 10 days.
They posed for a photo together outside the Al Bayt Stadium holding an England flag containing badges of their teams including Manchester United and Leeds United.
The group noted security had appeared to have tightened since they first arrived, with Mr Carter pointing at the flag and saying: ‘They think this is a political statement.
‘They couldn’t understand why we had different badges on, we’ve got Leeds, Villa, Man U and West Ham.’
Mr Copper, originally from Birmingham, said: ‘On the whole it’s been brilliant.
‘Despite a couple of buses, the way they’ve done the metro has been fantastic, the people are fantastic, we’re staying on one of the cruise ships and that’s brilliant, it’s a mixed crowd on there, everybody is really friendly.’
The group said the restrictions on alcohol sales had not been an issue for them given their busy schedule, adding the tournament had been ‘better without it’ and no trouble seen.
Mr Copper said of England’s chances on Friday against the USA: ‘We’re going to win.’
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