It’s been a long wait for U.S. soccer.
Too long.
In Friday’s World Cup draw, the U.S. was placed in Group B along with England, Iran and either Wales, Scotland or Ukraine at the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
The Americans won’t know their first opponent until June — when Wales faces the winner of Ukraine-Scotland for the final spot in the tournament. But they do know their first game will be Nov. 21, the opening day of the 2022 tournament.
That will mark the end of an eight-year wait for another World Cup match for the U.S. men, who failed to qualify four years ago in what was one of the most bitter disappointments in U.S. Men’s National Team history.
After its opener, the U.S. will then play England on Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving, and conclude group play against Iran on Nov. 29.
The Americans’ failure to qualify in 2018, thanks to that stunning loss to Trinidad in the final qualifying match, was a massive setback, particularly when it had appeared U.S. soccer had taken a significant step forward in the 2014 World Cup, when it advanced out of group play and was narrowly defeated, 2-1, by Belgium in the round of 16.
This is the year for the USMNT to advance even further than it did in ’14. The U.S. is in a position to make it count this time with a roster full of youth but with strong international experience.
This is a year for the rising U.S. stars to play a fearless brand of soccer, showing they belong, rather than tip-toeing into the intimidating pool of seasoned international competition.
This U.S. side should enter the World Cup steeled by its performance through the CONCACAF qualifying, which was grueling at times. Though only four players remain on the current roster from the team that failed to get into World Cup 2018, the U.S. made it through qualifying carrying the weight of the that disappointment, the weight of these past eight years without a World Cup match.
“It helped us understand and deal with the challenges,’’ U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter said. “We’ve seen the group grow though qualifying.’’
Asked what would count as a successful World Cup, Berhalter said, “The starting point is definitely getting out of the group. Once you do that, it’s a tournament, it’s the knockout round and anything can happen.’’
The knockout round begins Dec. 3, and if the U.S. has not made it through to that round of 16, this World Cup will have been considered a failure. The quarterfinals begin Dec. 9, which would be a nice place for the Americans to advance. The semifinals are Dec. 13 and 14 and the final is Dec. 18.
The Americans, who are ranked No. 15 in the world after CONCACAF qualifying, entered the draw as 80/1 to win this World Cup with Brazil and France listed as the co-favorites at 11/2.
England is considered the favorite in Group 2, but that hardly means the U.S. cannot advance out of the group. England is beatable, and second place in the group is absolutely attainable.
“It’s just an exciting moment,” Berhalter said.
It’s a moment that USMNT must seize, and if it does, it will have been worth the wait as well as one giant step forward for U.S. soccer on the international stage.