The United States held on for dear life and beat Iran 1-0 Tuesday to advance to the World Cup round of 16 while eliminating Team Melli. It looked like it would be a comfortable evening after Christian Pulisic put the U.S. up 1-0 in the 38th minute and with the Americans winning every individual duel on the pitch, but Iran dominated the final 20 minutes searching for an all-important equalizer.
And breathe. The United States has advanced from its World Cup group, finishing second behind England. Their crucial 1-0 win against Iran means their tournament will continue into the knockout round for another game at least.
They won, and they're in
THE @USMNT IS HEADING TO THE KNOCKOUT STAGE pic.twitter.com/AEmmUPUprB
Needing a win over Iran to advance to the World Cup round of 16, USMNT star Christian Pulisic got his first-ever goal on the world's biggest stage to put his nation up 1-0 in the 38th minute.
Weston McKennie got the move started with an excellent ball over the top to Sergiño Dest, and Dest played it across the face of goal to meet the advancing Pulisic.
DOHA - U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter recalled Josh Sargent to his starting lineup for Tuesday's Group B showdown against Iran, who were boosted by the return of first-choice goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand after his recovery from concussion.
Sargent, who started the Americans' opener against Wales, was dropped for Friday's match against England but has regained his spot from Haji Wright up front, while center back Cameron Carter-Vickers replaces Walker Zimmerman.
The United States men’s national team has a simple task on Tuesday. Beat Iran and they advance to the Round of 16. The USA starting XI vs Iran will have to be perfect for the young Americans to extend their stay in Qatar.
We’ve seen small shifts and changes in head coach Gregg Berhalter’s lineups at the World Cup so far. In the Wales game Josh Sargent started at striker but then was switched for Haji Wright in the England game. This was the only personnel change from the first two games.
One day before the United States takes to the field against Iran in a must-win Group B clash, the crucial match at hand seems to be the last thing anyone wants to talk about. In their pre-game press conference with the media on Monday, American midfielder Tyler Adams joined head coach Gregg Berhalter. The pair faced questions about racism, geopolitical tension and many other questions one would feel would be better suited to a press conference at the White House than a World Cup match.
When Ghana, the youngest team at the World Cup, eventually meets the USMNT, the second-youngest, in the World Cup semifinals, it's clear that the juvenile inconsistencies of both will allow one team to shine in the opening 45 before the other side comes storming back in the second half.
The task is clear for the United States men's national team when it plays Iran in its final Group B game of the World Cup at Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday: Win or go home.
While many teams still have multiple options in order to advance to the knockout phase of the tournament, including Iran, the Americans have no choice but to get the three points that come with a victory.
Since the draw for the 2022 World Cup occurred in April, the Black Friday USA matchup against England had been circled on the calendar for both sides. With so much history both off the field and on, we arrived at the next chapter thirsty for a fantastic show.
The last time USA and England met in a World Cup, the match ended as a 1-1 draw in 2010 after Clint Dempsey fired home a shot that bounced off Robert Green's hands and rolled behind him into the net.
According to Iran media, the Iranian soccer federation is filing a complaint to FIFA after the United States men’s national team posted a picture that included an altered imagine of Iran’s flag.
On Friday the USMNT twitter account tweeted a photo of the Group B standings with one noticeable detail missing. In a show of solidarity with the protests taking place in Iran, the symbol of the Islamic Republic was removed from Iran’s flag.