The U.S. national team’s World Cup preparation ended quietly on Tuesday afternoon, both literally and figuratively, with an uneventful 0–0 draw against modest Saudi Arabia in an almost-empty Estadio Nueva Condomina in Murcia, Spain.
The next time the Americans gather, they’ll be in Qatar, with about a week to prepare before the World Cup opener against Wales on Nov. 21. The results during this month’s international window, which began with a dreadful 2–0 loss to Japan last Friday, will be forgotten. But coach Gregg Berhalter and the men who make his World Cup squad will have to hope that this pair of uninspiring outings aren’t a sign of things to come.
Immediately after Tuesday’s tie, Berhalter suggested that waiting for the World Cup might be more difficult than playing in it.
