The first match for both Wales and the USA at this World Cup was billed as the decider in Group B, determining who will finish behind England to qualify for the Group of 16.
And football is, as they say, a two-stroke game. The first period of this game was hectic, hectic, with neither team settling down, USA pressing high, Wales struggling to make passes. Breathless things.
After 35 minutes in which the Stars and Stripes largely held the lead, Timothy Weah put his team ahead with a clean finisher, fed by Captain America Christian Pulisic.
It was no less than what they deserved; their advanced outfield position and the eye-opening energy of a team with an average age of around 20 causing no end of problems for Wales.
And the second half arrived. The Welsh full-backs put more pressure on, acting as midfielders, allowing the midfield to push even more. Concerted pressing around the 58th minute gave Wales some momentum; in the 64th minute, Ben Davies was able to head in, deflected over the bar for a corner. The subsequent delivery gave Keifer Moore the best chance of the game, but it was ultimately unsuccessful.
Wales made the most of their veterans to calm nerves and further reduce the pressure on the American backline. Eventually, the cracks appeared. A cross in the 81st minute to the Welsh talisman, Gareth Bale, in the area, a more than clumsy tackle and the referee signaling the penalty.
And Bale does not miss penalties.
Nine minutes of stoppage time resulted in a tense and nervous end to the match. The discipline of both teams began to falter, both teams seemed to be able to score a winning goal. A draw means the USA will be desperate to make a big impact in their game against England on Friday 25 November, while Wales take on Iran on the same day. But the biggest games in this group will come next Tuesday, when the USA take on Iran and Wales take on their old neighbor England.