Take Friday’s World Cup match between the United States and England, the No. Two games into this World Cup, the U.S. has already played the top two teams in the U.K., where the sport was invented. That was a good omen for the U.S. because England hasn’t won a World Cup game that was scoreless at the half since 2006. Friday’s match was the 20th World Cup game the U.S. has played against a European rival since beating England in the 1950 tournament, and it has won only one of those 20. That didn’t change Friday, but the shutout was the first over a European rival in the World Cup in 72 years.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 26, 2022 10:03 UTC