Qatar 2022: Pulisic’s Lone Goal Sends The US To R16

In a tensed atmosphere, America eliminated Iran on Tuesday at the Al-Thumama stadium via one-nil goal difference . Not the best ‘christmas gift’ though, as they are set to face the Netherlands in the round of 16.àpl

At the 38th minute, the US was all over Iran, and they finally got the ball in the back of the net. McKennie fired in a good ball to Dest, whose header squared it into the path of America’s star man Pulisic to score for 1-0.

It was quite a strange atmosphere on Tuesday. A heavy atmosphere, sometimes violent, didn’t only depend on the stakes of a the decisive match between the two teams for a qualification in the round of 16 of a World Cup, but had a huge political attachment.

The result means Iran have now failed to get past the opening group phase at each of their six World Cup appearances (18 games); only Scotland (23) have played more games at the tournament with all of them coming in the opening group phase.

Meanwhile, the USA have now equaled their longest unbeaten run at the World Cup (W1 D2), having also gone three without defeat in the group stages in 2010 (W1 D2). Indeed, this was their first win at the tournament since a 2-1 victory over Ghana in their opening group game of 2014.

The feat is astonishing due to the fact that the US is – the second youngest team in the tournament, with an average age of 25.15 – who have won the right to face the Netherlands on Saturday in the second round. This is a third consecutive qualification in the round of 16, after those of 2010 and 2014. In 2018, American footballers stayed at home.