The highly awaited clash between England and the USA made for a tedious watch, and eventually finished 0-0.
The Three Lions fielded an unchanged side from their emphatic win against Iran, and naturally, many expected them to sprint to victory against the Americans in a similar fashion.
However, the game itself was far from a cakewalk for the English, who were put on the ropes by the USMNT on numerous occasions.
America’s young side rattled England early on through their physicality and dominance in the middle of the pitch, with captain Tyler Adams leading from the front.
He wasn’t the only standout performer for the Yanks, as a former England International grabbed the spotlight in American colours.
Yunus Musah delivered a colossal performance in midfield, showing plenty of physicality, determination and skill.
For those familiar with the young midfielder, the display wasn’t all too surprising, the 19-year-old hails from an academy renowned for producing elite players.
He started off his Football career as a 9-year-old by joining Hale End, Arsenal‘s famous academy.
Graduating alongside the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, Musah represented England at a youth level before switching allegiances in 2020.
Currently, at Valencia, he certainly reminded England of his qualities by eclipsing the likes of Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount through his performance on the night.
His display also overshadowed that of former teammate Bukayo Saka, who looked uncharacteristically blunt during the game.
Nevertheless, the two Hale End products met after the game to grab a picture and exchange shirts, with Musah posting the image on his Instagram.
He added a caption saying, ‘It’s been years since the days at Hale End but I couldn’t be more grateful to cross paths again in football’s biggest stage.’
The 19-year-old was clearly happy to have come across his former teammate, meanwhile, Gooners online called for reuniting the duo at Arsenal and bringing Musah ‘home’.
The notion could prove to be more than wishful thinking, although it depends largely upon the rest of Musah’s World Cup campaign.
