Pulisic sends Iran home
The intrigue in group "B" lived until the last minutes of the last match of the game day. If the Iranians were a little more successful with their attack, another sensation could happen at the World Cup in Qatar.
The match between Iran and the USA was the main intrigue for the final round of Group B. Both teams were in contention for the playoffs. The Americans absolutely needed to win: the Stars and Stripes had two points after two draws, while the Iranians sensationally defeated Wales. Even one point would have been enough for the Persians to pass further.
Iranians from the first seconds began an active game. Already five minutes after the starting whistle, they managed to squeeze through the US defenses and shoot dangerously twice. But first, Azmun hit the defender, and then Rezaeyan sent the ball too hard.
Football players from the USA clearly did not like the activity at their own goal, and they began to attack others. Musa shot from outside the penalty area, but the ball flew over the crossbar, Pulisic tried to complete Weah's cross with his head - but Iranian goalkeeper Beiranvand coped. By the way, he missed the previous meeting of his team due to a head injury received in the first match with England, but he looked confident in the frame.
By the middle of the period, the Americans pressed even harder, equipping attacks one after another. The work for the defenders was added, but the Iranians managed to either take the ball out of their zone, or send it to the corner. And yet, closer to the break, the defense of the Persians cracked. McKenny made a throw to the right from the flank, Dest threw his head along the gate, and Pulisic closed in touch - 1:0, the Americans took the lead.
Already on the seventh minute added to the first half, Weah went to double the advantage, but climbed into an offside position.
The advantage of the Americans remained in the second half. Yes, their attacks were not really sharp and dangerous, but such activity did not allow the Persians to intercept the ball and run away to the counterattack. And yet it cannot be said that the Iranian team was completely toothless. What is the moment created by Golizade: he sent the ball to the center of the American penalty area, where Goddos took the ball and shot into the far corner. However, the attacker did not have enough accuracy - the ball did not hit the target.
The head coach of the Iranian national team, Queiroz, played with substitutions, used all five, but could not find the key to the Americans' defense. Already in stoppage time (and the referee added ten minutes!) the Iranians could score twice. But first, after hitting Puraliganji in the fall, the ball went close to the post, and then Taremi could not outwit the American defense.
1:0 - and such a victory is enough to stay at the World Championships for at least one more round. The Americans leave group "B" from the second place with five points, passing ahead of the British. As for the Iranians, they will at least be remembered for the current World Cup with a bright victory over Wales.
Match protocol
Iran - USA - 0:1 (0:1)
29th of November. Doha. El Thumama Stadium.
Referee - Mateu (Spain).
Iran: Beiranvand, Rezayan, Hosseini, Puraliganji, Mohammadi (Karimi, 45+3), Nurollahi (Torabi, 71), Ezzatollahi, Hajsafi (Jalali, 72), Gholizadeh (Ansarifard, 77), Azmoun (Goddos, 46), Taremi .
USA: Turner, Dest (Moore 82), Carter-Vickers, Rome, Robinson, McKenny (Acosta 65), Adams, Musa, Pulisic (Aaronsohn 46), Weah (Zimmerman 82), Sargent (Wright 77) .
Goals - Pulisic (38)
Booked: Hosseini (77), Kanaanizadegan (83), Jalali (90+6) - Adams (43).