◤International Friendlies◢ Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie underwhelmed while DeAndre Yedlin injured as United States was forced to dull 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia..

2022-09-28 15:25

 ◤International Friendlies◢  Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie underwhelmed while DeAndre Yedlin injured as United States was forced to dull 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia..




Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 against the United States in an international friendly on Thursday at Spain's Estadio Nueva Condomina in Murcia.


Just seconds after the opening of the first half, Sultan Al-Ghanamn's long shot from the outside edge of the box forced Matt Turner to make an early save. After that, the United States began to launch a more effective attack, with long-range shots from Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams either being saved by Mohammed Al-Yami or just went slightly off the post. During the period, Kellyn Acosta's shot from outside the penalty area also flew out the pitch. Later, Hattan Bahebri's direct free kick went too high. Later on, Bahebri's half-volley from a very close range caused confusion for the American defense, but fortunately, it was eventually blocked by Paul Arriola off the goal line. In the second half, Saud Abdulhamid, who was chasing after DeAndre Yedlin had crossed into the box from the right, maliciously tackled the latter, leaving the American seriously injured and forced to leave the field. Unsurprising Yedlin and his American teammates refused to accept the former's apology, and the referee also decisively issued a yellow card warning to Abdulhamid. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly attacked to no avail later on. In the end, Saudi Arabia could only force the United States into a 0-0 stalemate.


First Half


Just 25 seconds after the opening of the game, Riyadh Shahilli's cross from the left found Al-Ghanam who quickly plugged in and took a long shot with his right foot at the outer edge of the penalty area, but the ball was parried away by Turner who dived to the bottom right. In the 9th minute, Walker Zimmermann made a long pass from his own back half, Weston McKennie successfully beaten the offside trap, quickly followed up, cut inside and adjusted his angle before firing a right footed shot from outside the box, but the ball was held onto by Al-Yami who had dropped to the bottom right on the floor.


5 minutes later, Yedlin's cross from the right was blocked by Al-Ghanam from the box, after Acosta quickly followed up, picked up the loose ball and shot with his left foot from outside the box again, the ball traveled high out of the pitch. In the 17th minute, the United States got a free kick opportunity. Giovanni Reyna took the free kick from outside the penalty area and delivered an over the top through ball into the box, Christian Pulisic rose high in the middle box and headed the ball, however his attempt missed the left post.


7 minutes later, Pulisic crosses into the box from the left, upon receiving the ball, McKennie attempted to pass the ball horizontally again, but it was blocked by Abdulelah Al-Amri initially, Adams quickly followed up before drilling in a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area again, but the ball slightly just missed the left post. In the 29th minute, Saudi Arabia got a free kick opportunity. Bahebri took the free kick from outside the penalty area directly with his right foot, however his shot was too high. Shortly after, Reyna was unfortunately injured and replaced by Arriola.


4 minutes later, Ali Alhassan cuts back from the edge of the byline on the right side of the box. Haitham Asiri quickly followed up and made a straight pass again, as soon as it travelled to Bahberi who was at a very close range in front of the left goal, the latter took a right-footed shot, but his attempt was blocked by Arriola off the goal line.


At the end of the first half, the two sides entered halftime having temporarily failed to break their opponents down.



Second Half


Both teams switched sides as the game continued. In the 57th minute, as soon as DeAndre Yedlin had crossed into the box from the right, Saud Abdulhamid who was chasing after him maliciously tackled the former, leaving Yedline seriously injured and forced to leave the field, although Abdulhamid tried to apologize to the former, but the latter and his teammates unsurprisingly refused to accept. As the gravity of foul was too bad, the referee decisively issued a yellow card to Abdulhamid and also made a stern verbal warning. United States head coach Gregg Berhalter immediately sent Joe Scaley on to replace Yedlin.


In 4 minutes, Arriola's through ball from the front found Jesús Ferreira who successfully followed up baten the offside trap, dribbled into the middle of the box and then half-vollyed with his right foot, but the ball was saved by Al-Yami who got down to hold on to it. In the 70th minute, Saudi Arabia played a quick counterattack. Bahebrl's pass from the front found Asiri who quickly followed up before volleying with his right foot from the outer edge of the penalty area, but the shot was saved by Turner.


9 minutes later, Saudi Arabia got a corner kick. Al-Ghanam took the corner kick and crossed it into the box, Al Amri jumped high and headed the ball from a very close distance in front of the goal in the middle of the box, but the attempt flew out of the pitch. In the 86th minute, Ferreira's made a straight pass from the right side of the penalty area was gathered by Arriola who quickly got up, adjusted his angle before volleying with his left foot on the right side of the box, however the shot missed the left post.



In the 2nd minute of stoppage time, Saudi Arabia made a quick counterattack. Fahad Al-Muwallad stole the ball, took a few steps before firing a long shot with his left foot from outside the penalty area, but his shot flew too high out of the pitch.


The game finished with Saudi Arabia forcing the United States to drab 0-0 goalless draw, and the United States could only prepare for the Qatar World Cup with a bad run of 4 consecutive draws.