Harry Kane and England are being held at bay in their match against the USA in their second match of the World Cup.
Kane had a spectacular chance in the ninth minute but was deflected out for a corner.
But Three Lions fans’ hearts were in their mouths on 25 minutes as Weston McKennie fluffed a chance for the US to go ahead in the half’s best chance.
American fans goaded their rivals by singing ‘Pour the tea in the harbour.’ In 2019, US women’s star Alex Morgan similarly taunted England when she mimed sipping tea at the World Cup semi-final after scoring the winning goal.
As is customary now, England took the knee before kick off, but there was no sign of the rainbow armband that’s controversy dogged the competition build-up.
Earlier they had belted the national anthem as they fired themselves up to take on their American adversaries on the pitch.
Kane had a spectacular chance in the ninth minute but was deflected for a harmless corner
England’s Harry Maguire and Timothy Weah of the USA compete for the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match
England’s Raheem Sterling and the USA’s Sergino Dest clash in tonight’s match
England manager Gareth Southgate cut an animated figure on the sideline as the match began
An England supporter cheers ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between England and USA
Harry Maguire’s wife Fern Hawkins looked anxious as she watched England take on the US
Eric Dier’s partner Anna Modler flashed a grin as the high tempo game got underway
Conor Coady’s wife Aime shared a joke before the kick-off just after 7pm tonight in Qatar
David Beckham is seen prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between England and USA at Al Bayt Stadium on November 25
They also sang God Save The King before their crunch clash against USA kicked off.
David Beckham, who has kept an uncharacteristically low profile, slipped into the stadium shortly before kick-off and took a seat in a hospitality box.
Captain Harry Kane, 29, looked focused in the tunnel before the squads came out, as a spectacular light and fireworks show heralded their arrival.
More than 8,000 England fans were inside the Al Bayt stadium in the hope of helping to roar them to victory.
Kane’s men face a tough test against the team that features a number of Premier League stars, who play at Leeds United.
Arran Ransdale’s partner Georgina Irwin stuns in yellow from the crowd in Qatar as thousands of spectators cheer on Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions
Kennedy Alexa, James Maddison’s partner, cheers on the Three Lions during the clash
England team WAGS and families before the big kick-up posed up with a replica World Cup
Fired up: The England team sang God Save the King as they prepared to begin the match
A spectacular light and fireworks show had opened the match before the players came out
‘Kick it in there’ Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish ready to score
England captain Harry Kane took in the atmosphere ahead of the match starting at 7pm
Jordan Pickford jokes with John Stones ahead of the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Al Bayt Stadium
Earlier fans were guided to buses from the nearest metro station for a 25-minute journey to reach the ground in Al Khor, north of Doha.
England fan Jim Noyce, 59, from Rugby, arrived on a shuttle flight from Dubai and questioned how smoothly things will run at the 68,895-capacity stadium.
He said: ‘Compared to where we were on Monday, this is a real trek.
‘The people are friendly, really happy, can’t do enough for you, I just think they weren’t expecting the number of people to come.’
England fans in the stands before the FIFA World Cup Group B hoping to defeat the USA squad
England fans ahead of the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
England’s goalkeeper #01 Jordan Pickford drinks water during warm up ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between England and USA
A fan of USA with a hat and USA sunglasses during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match
He added: ‘For us we’ve got no panic, we don’t go home until eight o’clock tomorrow morning so, worst scenario, we’d have to get a taxi.
‘I just wonder about the logistics of it, is it such a great idea?
‘But in general it’s everything you need.’
On whether England will follow Germany’s lead and make a stand after Fifa prevented the use of rainbow-coloured armbands, Mr Noyce said: ‘I think they’ll bide their time and pick the game they’re going to do it.
England and US supporters put tonight’s rivalries aside to pose up for a pre-match photograph
England fans ahead of the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
The clash at 7pm tonight will be highly contested and expectations for another England win
England fans at the Al Bay Stadium for the England v USA match, Doha, Qatar FIFA World Cup
Germany are playing Spain on Sunday, I think they’ll wear the rainbow and if Germany do, I think England will follow.’
Craig Carter, 51, and Richard Copper, 49, were among a group of four friends originally from England, and now living in Adelaide in Australia, who have travelled to watch 18 games in 10 days.
They posed for a photo together outside the Al Bayt Stadium holding an England flag containing badges of their teams including Manchester United and Leeds United.
The group noted security had appeared to have tightened since they first arrived, with Mr Carter pointing at the flag and saying: ‘They think this is a political statement.
‘They couldn’t understand why we had different badges on, we’ve got Leeds, Villa, Man U and West Ham.’
Mr Copper, originally from Birmingham, said: ‘On the whole it’s been brilliant.
‘Despite a couple of buses, the way they’ve done the metro has been fantastic, the people are fantastic, we’re staying on one of the cruise ships and that’s brilliant, it’s a mixed crowd on there, everybody is really friendly.’
The group said the restrictions on alcohol sales had not been an issue for them given their busy schedule, adding the tournament had been ‘better without it’ and no trouble seen.
Mr Copper said of England’s chances on Friday against the USA: ‘We’re going to win.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk