It will take a day or so to register, but this may not be the worst result in the world for England.
Okay, taken on face value it isn't much to write home about.
England should be beating the USA, there is no doubting that - though Gareth Southgate was at pains at his pre-match press conference on Thursday to point out that the national team are yet to achieve victory over the Americans in World Cup football.
This is a result that will resonate across the Atlantic - deservedly so Greg Berhalter’s side were excellent.
Back home in England - not so much.
But after the 6-2 trouncing of Iran this is, perhaps, exactly what England needed. A reality check.
It was almost as if England’s wretched form heading into Qatar was forgotten after the glut of goals at the Khalifa Stadium on Monday night.
This below-par performance provided a more accurate picture of where England find themselves right now.
That doesn’t mean this England team cannot go on and lift the World Cup on December 18.
But it also means that we shouldn’t expect them to, either. That will come as no surprise to Southgate who is realist by nature.
What it does mean, however, is that the England manager will not be able to rest his key players for Tuesday’s final group game against Wales.
That will come as blow. Kyle Walker needs minutes in his legs, particularly if Southgate has aspirations of playing three-at-the-back later in the tournament.
The same goes for Kalvin Phillips, who has hardly kicked a ball since joining Manchester City in the summer.
Phil Foden, perhaps the most unlucky not to start both England’s opening matches, will be champing at the bit to start against the Welsh - though his no show on Friday raises question marks over his availability.
Perhaps most pertinently of all, it would have been ideal to give Harry Kane the opportunity to give his battered right ankle a few days to recuperate.
Because a recharged Kane, even if it’s only an extra 10 percent, could well be the difference between a quarter-final place or an early flight home.
You’d imagine the England manager would fancy having a look at Marcus Rashford or Callum Wilson through the middle just in case the unthinkable happens with his captain.
History tells us that Southgate was planning to rotate against Wales, too.
At World Cup 2018, with a place in the last-16 already guaranteed, he made eight changes for the final group game versus Belgium - including dropping Kane.
It made sense in for history to repeat itself. That is unlikely to be possible now with England needing a result against Robert Page’s side to ensure their place in the last 16.
But there is a lot to be said for momentum and continuity in tournament football. Southgate will surely go strong against the Welsh after this meek performance.