Christian Pulisic of the US scores the only goal of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B past Iran's Alireza Beiranvand at the Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, Qatar, on November 29, 2022. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Iran’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 campaign came to an anticlimactic end yesterday as Carlos Queiroz’s side slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the United States at the Al Thumama Stadium.
The US will meet Group A leaders the Netherlands in Round of 16 on Saturday.
"The first half we showed what we can do, soccer wise, the second half we showed what we could do determination wise," US coach Gregg Berhalter said after the win.
"The guys grinded, gave every single ounce and we are undefeated going into the next round."
Pulisic left the field at half-time after sustaining a heavy knock while scoring his match-winning goal.
"I can't say enough positive things about Christian," Berhalter said.
"With this new injury it's stressful. I think I have less hair on my head now. But we'll take it and move on and go battle against Holland."
Needing at least a draw to advance to the Round of 16 in second place in Group B behind England, the Iranians missed out on a clash with the Netherlands in the next round as Christian Pulisic’s first half goal took the Americans through at Team Melli’s expense.
Queiroz’s outfit were unable to put on a performance to match the buoyant support of their fans, who dominated the 42,127 crowd inside the Al Thumama Stadium but were unable to will their team towards the result required to take the Iranians into the last 16.
Alireza Beiranvand returned between the posts after recovering from the concussion sustained in the early exchanges of the opening game against England, the Persepolis goalkeeper reclaiming his place ahead of Hossein Hosseini.
Beiranvand’s inclusion was the only change made to the line-up that had defeated Wales on Friday to record the nation’s third FIFA World Cup win, a victory that put the Iranians on the cusp of qualifying for the knockout rounds for the first time in six attempts.
Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic both brought routine saves out of Beiranvand in the opening 11 minutes while Sergino Dest forced the goalkeeper to palm clear his attempt to drive the ball across goal soon after. Timothy Weah then squandered a pair of opportunities before Pulisic put the United States in front seven minutes before the interval.
Musah’s inch-perfect diagonal ball from close to the halfway line was astutely headed back across goal by Dest for Pulisic to apply a simple side-foot finish that briefly silenced the Iranian fans.
Weah thought he had doubled the American lead deep into first half injury time only to be called back for the tightest of offside calls as Berhalter’s side dominated.
Queiroz introduced Saman Ghoddos at the start of the second half for the ineffective Sardar Azmoun and the Brentford midfielder almost levelled seven minutes later, only to head high over the bar from just outside the six yard box.
Ghoddos squandered another opportunity 13 minutes later, firing off target with a right foot shot after being found by Ali Gholazadeh’s cut-back from the opposite side of the penalty area.
Saeid Ezatolahi thumped a long-range effort narrowly off target as Team Melli grew increasingly desperate, before Morteza Pouralighani headed an injury-time free kick wide, but ultimately there was to be no way through as the United States gained belated revenge for their FIFA World Cup loss against the Iranians in France back in 1998.
