Watch: Timothy Weah gives USMNT early lead on first U.S. World Cup goal since 2014
Timothy Weah gave the U.S. its first World Cup goal since 2014 with a first-half score against Wales on Monday.
The goal came 36 minutes into the match on an assist from Christian Pulisic and gave the USA a 1-0 lead in its opening match of the 2022 World Cup.
Per U.S. Soccer, Weah, 22, entered the World Cup with three goals in 25 appearances with the U.S. Men's National Team. The goal was the first scored against Wales in a World Cup since Pele in 1958, the last time Wales qualified for the World Cup.
Weah's goal makes him the 23rd U.S. male soccer player to score in the World Cup, per the Fox broadcast.
The goal drew praise from Twitter and also was a reminder of Weah doing something his father — soccer great George Weah — was never able to do.
The USMNT is back on soccer's biggest stage after failing to qualify for the 2018 tournament. In the U.S.'s last World Cup in 2014, the team reached the round of 16 before losing to Belgium 2-1.
Before the World Cup kicked off, the creators of the Apple TV+ show "Ted Lasso" placed billboards in the hometowns of each of the players on the national team, including Weah. The comedy tells the story of an American college football coach hired to lead a struggling English soccer team.
After mentioning Weah's lineage — his father is also the president of Liberia — the message reads, "Those are pretty big pants to fill, but you're definitely on your way."
His goal in the U.S.'s return to the World Cup gets him one step closer.
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