Finishing

Giving a grade to each Concacaf team based on their first World Cup games

All four Concacaf teams competing at the World Cup have played their first games with all four failing to win. In this article we will grade the Concacaf teams at the World Cup based on their game results, how they looked and their likelihood of advancing to the knockout stages.

First let’s recap the results.

Concacaf Game 1 Results

  • USA: Tied Wales 1-1
  • Mexico: Tied Poland 0-0
  • Costa Rica: Lost to Spain 7-0
  • Canada: Lost to Belgium 1-0

Time for the grades.

Ghana becomes first African team to score at the 2022 World Cup

Qatar’s World Cup has provided fans with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in just four matchdays. For African nations, it had been nothing but low until André Ayew scored the continent’s first goal of the tournament with Ghana’s opener against Portugal. 

Uruguay’s Federico Valverde was 6 inches away from scoring the goal of the tournament

Uruguay and Real Madrid star Federico Valverde almost had the highlight of his career on Thursday during his nation’s 0-0 draw vs. South Korea. With the score tied at in the 89th minute, Valverde ripped a shot from over 25 yards out that nearly brought the house down.

Valverde Shot vs. South Korea

Here are the 3 big takeaways and things to fix from the USA’s opening game vs. Wales

The United States men’s national team played its first World Cup game in eight years on Monday tying Wales 1-1 at Al Rayyan Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Monday’s game was a tale of two halves with the USA controlling the first and scoring through Timothy Weah in the 36th minute.

Tim Weah scores brilliantly as the United States ties Wales

3,065 days removed from elimination at the hands of Belgium in 2014, the United States began its World Cup campaign with a heartbreaking 1-1 draw against Wales. With the hopes of a nation on their backs, the Stars and Stripes came to play in the first half, epitomized by Tim Weah’s goal just after the half-hour mark, but ultimately a late penalty from Gareth Bale saved a draw for the Dragons.  

Morocco just recalled Hakim Ziyech for the World Cup — that was a great idea

Hakim Ziyech is a shooter. We've forgotten that this year with the Moroccan winger rarely playing for Chelsea, but when the goals were flying in at Ajax he was averaging 5.3 shots per game, and when he last represented his country at a major tournament (AFCON 2019) he was firing off 4.5 per game.

Ivan Toney scores game-winning brace against Man City following World Cup snub

Who saw this coming? Just days after being left off England’s World Cup squad, Ivan Toney is the hero at the Etihad as Brentford gets its first win away from home on the season. His brace was the difference in the Bees’ 2-1 victory which ensures that Arsenal will be top of the Premier League going into the break. 

A viral goal from the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament? You know the drill

It's become an annual tradition unlike any other here at The18. Every winter the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament comes around and, like clockwork, drops the highlight of the year.

LAFC wins MLS Cup after Gareth Bale scores 128th minute equalizer in greatest MLS game ever

The greatest game in Major League Soccer history was played on Saturday as LAFC defeated the Philadelphia Union to win MLS Cup 3-0 on penalty kicks after tying 3-3. There aren’t adjectives adequate to describe the excitement, heartbreak and drama this game had.

With the Philadelphia Union leading 3-2 in the final minutes of extra time, Gareth Bale was the hero of Los Angeles when he scored the latest goal in MLS Playoff history. A powerful header in the 128th minute saved his team which was on the brink of defeat. 

Gio Reyna scores his eighth career Bundesliga goal with one of the iciest penalty kicks

Giovanni Reyna was given an early birthday present on Saturday when he was handed the ball to take a penalty for Borussia Dortmund during the team’s 3-0 victory vs. Bochum.

Reyna isn’t Dortmund’s usual penalty taker, but the American teenager — who turns 20 on Nov. 3 — confidently stepped up and scored from the spot in the 12th minute to give his side a 2-0 lead.

The goal was his eighth Bundesliga goal and his 12th in all competitions for Dortmund.

Prior to the penalty Donyell Malen was tackled in the box after a clever spin.

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