The U.S. men’s national team began the World Cup with a disappointing 1-1 draw Monday against Wales.
Following a strong first half, the Americans lost the lead when Gareth Bale converted a penalty kick during the 82nd minute. Yet before Walker Zimmerman got called for a foul, the officials might have missed the ball going out of play.
“I mean, I’m on the sideline, looking down the sideline, and I’m sure the ball went out of bounds,” coach Gregg Berhalter said, via Henry Bushnell of Yahoo Sports. “I’m positive.”
Antonee “Jedi” Robinson called the ball “blatantly out of play.”
Robinson’s criticism didn’t stop there. The 25-year-old defender said “terrible” officiating “cost us the game.”
“We were soaking up the pressure, and some could say [the goal] was coming,” Robinson conceded. “But still, for it to go down to something that’s out of our hands, it’s very disappointing.”
Berhalter was also “pretty surprised” they didn’t make the call. However, VAR couldn’t review the play since the ball definitively went off a U.S. player seconds later.
After squandering a golden opportunity to notch three points, the USMNT will look to advance past Group B when playing England on Friday afternoon and Iran next Tuesday.