Acosta fouls Bale: A professional foul if there ever was one. Kevin Acosta fouls his LAFC teammate Gareth Bale right before he’s about to chip keeper Matt Turner.
Bale was on the verge of pulling a David Beckham and sending the ball up and over Turner’s head. Stuart Holden has a perfect image of the Acosta foul on Bale.
This foul by Kellyn Acosta is an all time great tactical foul + yellow card. Bale is about to strike it and Turner is still 25 yards from goal in 99th minute. pic.twitter.com/RF1Kt34NqH
— Stu Holden (@stuholden) November 22, 2022
Acosta earned a yellow card on the foul on Bale but perhaps saved the United States from losing the game.
💯’
This foul from Acosta cost him a yellow, but may have saved the game, as Bale had a look from 40 yards with Turner well off his line.#FIFAWorldCup #USAWAL pic.twitter.com/LHT5i5tlON
— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) November 21, 2022
Before the match Acosta did say the United States might have to kick Bale a time or two.
“He’s a specimen,” Acosta said, making clear he thinks Bale’s unique combination of skill and size still makes him an intimidating weapon despite the fact he’s nearing the end of his career.
“He’s a guy that we know to have eyes on,” Acosta said. “We’ve got to literally start kicking him around the field a little bit. Make him feel us. Limit his time and space.”
Of course the person who ended up kicking Bale but shouldn’t have kicked him was Walker Zimmerman. Yes, it all happens quite fast in the box. And Bale smartly got his body in front of the ball so Zimmerman might be tempted to kick him. However, in a World Cup game with your team ahead and it’s late in the game it’s not wise to try to dive with your feet in the box and win the soccer ball.
Really, the United States deserved to win the game and had a few chances to put the game away with another goal. Still, to come away with a draw and a point still gives the chances to go through to the next round if that can get a result against England and Iran.
