Can USMNT make it beyond 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage?

The practice is over and with little more than a month to naming the final squad list, it will then be time for the United States Men’s National Team to make perfect. Head coach Gregg Berhalter has tested the capabilities of numerous players, experimented with a few tactical ideas, and will have a pretty good idea of his plans right now.

All the auditions have been held, which means that when the November 9 roster is announced, the 26-man squad representing the United States at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be known. According to Sports Illustrated, at least 18 players are pretty much guaranteed their place, although the remaining choices are still quite open:

https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/09/29/usmnt-world-cup-roster-projection-qatar-2022-final-squad

Save for any surprising selections or as can sometimes happen, late changes are needed beyond the squad announcement due to injuries, the next questions revolve around how the USMNT will fare against their opposition in Group B at the World Cup. Let’s have a look at the prospects in

Wales – November 21 – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan

It goes without saying that for the USMNT, getting off to a good start at the World Cup will be absolutely priceless, although Wales will certainly be just as fired up themselves. The last time The Dragons participated in the tournament finals was back in 1958, so this next appearance at the World Cup will be motivation enough.

The star man for Wales is undoubtedly Gareth Bale, and not without some irony, he now plays club football in the MLS with Los Angeles FC. Nevertheless, beyond a small select few, most of the Welsh players are at second or third tier clubs in the English leagues. Nothing should be taken for granted, although on paper, the USMNT should be winning this first game.

England – November 21 – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor

Let’s be quite honest here, anything other than defeat against England would be a massive success for the USMNT, particularly given the Three Lions are tipped amongst the World Cup favorites. That being said, the side coached by Gareth Southgate have been really poor of late, drawing three and losing three of their last six matches.

The knock to English confidence has been telling, so the United States could actually be in with a good shot of winning, if the team is focused and at their best. One can only imagine the euphoria of a US victory against England, conjuring up memories of the famous “Miracle on Green” triumph at the 1950 World Cup, making sports and cultural History when the “Kings of Football” were left stunned and beaten:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-world-cup-team-wins-unlikely-victory-over-england

Iran – November 29 – Al Thumama Stadium, Doha

Much of the media glare surrounding this game will have geopolitical connotations, that much is evident given the frosty relationship between the two countries, yet on the day all that matters is the ‘beautiful game’ of soccer itself. Nevertheless, the crowd is likely to be rather partisan in support of Iran, given Qatar is just a short hop across the Persian Gulf.

Depending how the two previous games have gone, both the USMNT and Team Melli could find themselves playing for a place in the knockout phase, given that Group B at the 2022 World Cup could be filled with plenty of surprises. This is another game that on paper, the US team should be capable of winning, although this rival will certainly be fired up for the occasion. 

What do the bookies think?

Heading into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, leading sportsbooks have been tweaking the odds for every team, largely based around recent form and results. Before deciding who to back and what to wager, look for insights that make a real difference, along with detailed guides covering where to get free bets and all the latest offers. This is what SBO aims to provide via hundreds of impartial site reviews, all available right here: https://www.sbo.net/.

As for where the USMNT stand, nobody expects them to actually win the 2022 World Cup, although they are considered to have a solid chance of reaching the knockout phase. As the tournament gets closer, they are almost level with Wales in the latest betting stakes, insofar as finishing amongst the top two of Group B is concerned.

This would appear to indicate that insofar as the oddsmakers are concerned, the USMNT has the tools and the talent available to make waves at the World Cup, able to compete with the strong rivals they will face in Group B. Anything beyond that will be a dream come true, although as previous tournaments have often highlighted, anything is possible.