The United States face Wales on Monday evening in the second match of a competitive Group B.

No other group at the 2022 World Cup contains four nations ranked inside the top 20. Sandwiched between England (fifth) and Iran (20th), the United States (16th) and Wales (19th) are poised to meet for the second time in two years after a 2020 friendly which ended 0-0.

Here’s everything you need to know about this lofty clash.

United States vs Wales H2H Results (All Time)

Current Form (Last Five Games)

United States team news

Luca de la Torre has been sidelined since the end of October with a hamstring injury. Celta Vigo announced at the time that he would be unavailable for at least three weeks. That was three weeks ago.

Matt Turner returned to warm Arsenal‘s bench this month after missing three matches with a groin problem and is expected to stand between the sticks for the US.

Weston McKennie is another regular starter but damaged his thigh while playing for Juventus in October, leaving his involvement this Monday shrouded in uncertainty.

United States Starting 11 (4-3-3): Turner; Dest, Zimmerman, Long, Robinson; Musah, Adams, Acosta; Aaronson, Ferreira, Pulisic.
Bench: Horvath, Johnson, Ream, Moore, Carter-Vickers, Yedlin, Scally, Roldan, Reyna, Morris, Wright, Weah, Sargent.

Wales team news

Joe Allen hasn’t featured for Swansea City since September while nursing a hamstring injury but is “confident and comfortable that it won’t be too much of a problem”.

When announcing Allen’s place in the squad, Wales manager Rob Page admitted: “It’s not ideal if I’m honest, but we’re giving him every opportunity to get him fit to get into the starting XI for the first game.”

Wales Starting 11 (3-4-3): Hennessey; Ampadu, Rodon, B Davies; C Roberts, Ramsey, Allen, N Williams; Bale, Johnson, D James.
Bench: Ward, A Davies, Gunter, Mepham, Lockyer, Cabango, Colwill, Wilson, Morrell, Williams, Thomas, Levitt, Smith, Moore, Harris.

This dynamic, high-pressing United States side have many strengths but also a notable weakness; breaking down obstinate and unadventurous opponents.

After flirting with a back-four, Page has reverted to a three-centre-back system designed to strike on the counter. Wales have no interest in keeping the ball – averaging the lowest possession in European World Cup qualifying – but boast the jet-heeled speed of Dan James and the guile of Gareth Bale that could exploit America’s underwhelming centre-back options.

Prediction: United States 1-2 Wales