Wales vs USA Player Ratings: Reyna, Wilson disappoint with 6.5 or below; McKennie gets 8

Weston McKennie and Kiefer Moore were the only bright spots as Wales and USA played out a goalless draw at the Liberty Stadium on Thursday.

The USMNT restarted their footballing schedule with a goalless draw with Wales on Thursday, in what was their first match since February. It was a special game for the away side, who had called up a bunch of their finest young talents as a number of players, including Borussia Dortmund’s 17-year-old sensation Giovanni Reyna made their debuts for the national team.

Unfortunately, they struggled to provide any real quality as there was a lack of approach play from USA, who mustered only one shot on goal. On the positive side of things, they were solid in defence against a Wales team that had benched most of their star players including Gareth Bale, although the likes of Daniel James and Joe Rodon did appear as second-half substitutes.

Overall, it was a dull and cagey affair, which was expected, following a congested footballing schedule of the 2020/21 campaign. And here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over these two sides following the goalless draw at the Liberty Stadium.

Wales

Danny Ward: 6/10

It was a quiet game for Danny Ward, though he had to remain sharp as the USA attackers were willing to pounce on any mistakes.

Connor Roberts: 7/10

Connor Roberts was fairly solid in defence, keeping Konrad de la Fuente in check for the most part of the game.

Tom Lockyer: 7/10

It was a strong defensive showing from Tom Lockyer, though he was helped by the opposition not having a proper number nine.

James Lawrence: 7/10

Offered support to Lockyer and provided the opposition very little space and time in the final third as the United States mustered only one shot on target.

Chris Gunter: 7/10

The captain marshalled the backline, with his experience being critical in preventing the likes of Giovanni Reyna from making an impact in this fixture.

Dylan Levitt: 6/10

Provided a poor back-pass that opened up an excellent opportunity for de la Fuente. Not the best of games for the central midfielder.

Matthew Smith: 5/10

Much like Levitt, Matt Smith had a difficult time in getting the better of the athletic USA midfielders, so the dominance was missing in the middle of the park.

Rabbi Matondo: 7/10

Rabbi Matondo made a host of incisive runs in behind the backline, making use of USA’s shallow defence. Very little end product though.

Harry Wilson: 6.5/10

Harry Wilson was the creator-in-chief for the Wales team. He came close to scoring once with a darting run, but was stopped in his tracks.

Tom Lawrence: 6.5/10

Had one effort on goal, but provided nothing concrete on the flanks as chances came at a premium.

Kiefer Moore: 7.5/10

Kiefer Moore put in an excellent shift in attack for Wales. He was always willing to interchange positions and his ability to switch the play made the hosts much more versatile going forward. Unlucky to not have scored.

SUBSTITUTES

Josh Sheehan: 6/10

Replaced Smith at half-time, but didn’t provide too much of an impact in the middle of the park.

Daniel James: 7/10

Offered pace and incision after replacing Moore around the hour mark. Made a couple of excellent runs, but the final product was missing.

Brennan Johnson: 6/10

Replaced Matondo around the hour-mark in order to provide more energy in the final third.

Joe Rodon: 6/10

Tried to deal with the USA attackers during the final phase of the game.

Joe Morell: N/A

A late replacement for Levitt. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.

USA

Zack Steffen: 7/10

Zack Steffen was reliable as ever in between the sticks, making a couple of excellent saves and helping his side preserve their clean sheet.

Sergino Dest: 7.5/10

Sergino Dest provided quality on the right flank for the away side. He was always willing to march forward with the ball and had a good understanding with his teammates.

Matt Miazga: 6/10

Matt Miazga was solid enough to see out the Welsh attack, but one would expect a lot better from the centre-back.

John Brooks: 7.5/10

With Miazga not exactly performing up to his potential, John Brooks was a key outlet in the USA backline. His physical and aerial prowess were critical in shutting down Moore. Led his side well.

Antonee Robinson: 5/10

Antonee Robinson had a poor game against Wales. He was the weak link in the USA backline, often leaving acres of space in behind for Matondo to exploit. Looked sloppy in possession as well.

Yunus Musah: 6.5/10

One of many players to make their debuts for the USMNT, Yunus Musah offered a creative spark on the flank. His ability to drift through tight spaces is something Gregg Berhalter’s side could really use in the coming years.

Tyler Adams: 7/10

It was a solid game for Tyler Adams at the heart of the American midfield. The RB Leipzig star was strong in his tackles and won the ball back for his team whenever it was necessary.

Weston McKennie: 8/10

While Adams provided the stability in midfield, Weston McKennie played a key role during the possession phases. The Juventus midfielder’s ability to carry the ball across the half-spaces made life easier for the American attackers as he was a source of transition. A great performance indeed.

Giovanni Reyna: 6/10

An underwhelming performance from a player who had a lot of hype heading into this game. Reyna was perhaps bogged down by the lack of support while he also needs to build a solid understanding with his teammates before he can be useful to this USMNT team.

Sebastian Lletget: 6/10

Despite being stranded as the makeshift forward, Sebastian Lletget still did a great job of working the Welsh defence, though he was often isolated.

Konrad de la Fuente: 5/10

Konrad de la Fuente was perhaps the most disappointing performer for the away side in this game. The Barcelona winger offered very little substance going forward, despite the apparent lack of support.

SUBSTITUTES

Johnny Cardoso: 6.5/10

Offered a more robust presence in midfield after replacing Adams, who could play a key role in the upcoming game against Panama.

Ulysses Llanez: 6.5/10

An impactful display by Ulysses Lanez, who notably had a shot on goal, testing goalkeeper Danny Ward.

Timothy Weah: N/A

Struggled to make an impact as a late sub, after replacing Reyna. Did not play enough to warrant a rating either.

Nicholas Gioacchini: N/A

A late replacement for Musah. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.

Owen Otasowie: N/A

Did not play enough to warrant a rating.

Reggie Cannon: N/A

Did not play enough to warrant a rating.