Fans Rue Wasted Chances As Christian Pulisic, USA Draw with Wales at 2022 World Cup

The United States played a fantastic first half in their World Cup opener against Wales on Monday, dominating possession, creating fantastic chances and taking a 1-0 lead into the half.

That made the ultimate 1-1 draw at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium all the more disappointing.

Timothy Weah's 36th-minute finish was equaled by Gareth Bale's penalty conversion in the 82nd after a head-scratching foul from Walker Zimmerman in the box, as Wales matched the United State's dominance across the first 45 minutes with a cracking display of their own in the second half.

And it had USMNT supporters and football Twitter feeling as though the country perhaps let a golden chance slip through their fingers:

For every positive the United States exhibited in the first half, there was an equal negative in the second.

Christian Pulisic was lively and probing in the first half, setting up Weah's goal with a brilliant pass. The United States controlled possession with crisp passing and pinned Wales back close to their own box, controlling the midfield and attacking down the flanks.

But Pulisic struggled on the ball in the second half and looked banged up after a physical game. The United States aimlessly and unsuccessfully sent crosses into the box in the second frame, failing to really threaten Wales. Zimmerman's foul was inexplicable. The United States ramped down their intensity on the ball and struggled with Wales' more direct play in the second half.

"I think we lost a bit of power," manager Gregg Berhalter said of the second half. "In the same sense, Wales stepped up the pressure, and we had some good counter-attacking opportunities. But I thought the guys dealt with it well. We kept going until the end; it was a hard-fought game. We left everything out there."

Only Tyler Adams gave the USMNT a consistent top-tier 90 minutes, as is to be expected from the team's captain. Against England on Friday, however, the U.S. will need to string together two excellent halves to pull off the upset, or even steal a point, against the Group B favorites.

Friday's match is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Fox.