Pulisic goal advances US to World Cup knockout stage with win over Iran
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Christian Pulisic kicked the ball, scored the purpose after which crashed into the goalkeeper in a collision that despatched the American star to the hospital and the United States into the second spherical of the World Cup.
More than an hour later, he contacted his teammates by way of FaceTime to affix the celebration.
His Thirty eighth-minute purpose held up, and the United States beat Iran 1-0 on Tuesday of their politically charged rematch to advance to the World Cup’s knockout stage.
.acf-block-preview .instagram-twitter-container {
width: 340px;
margin: 0 auto;
}
“Every single player is ready to lay their body on the line to make sure this team is successful,” United States midfielder Weston McKennie mentioned.
The Americans completed second in Group B with 5 factors, two behind England, and can play the Netherlands on Saturday with the possibility to achieve the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2002.
“I always say it’s us against the world,” ahead Tim Weah mentioned. “No one believed the U.S. could play good football.”
Pulisic was sprawled on the sphere and mendacity within the purpose for about three minutes as he acquired remedy from the U.S. workers. He tried to proceed taking part in however was substituted initially of the second half with Brenden Aaronson and brought for stomach scans.
“I sent him a text and checked on him, and he said, ‘Best believe I’ll be ready on Saturday,’” McKennie mentioned.
U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter mentioned Pulisic sustained an harm beneath the stomach and felt dizziness.
Back within the World Cup after lacking the 2018 event, the U.S. opened with attracts towards Wales and England and wanted a victory to achieve the spherical of 16.
Iran completed third with three factors. The crew has did not advance in all six of its World Cup appearances.
“The dream is over with this result,” Iran coach Carlos Queiroz mentioned. “The U.S. started the game much better than us, more quickly with better control of the game.”
Raucous Iranian followers with horns and drums within the crowd of 42,127 crammed the decrease bowl behind one purpose at Al Thumama Stadium and had been far louder than the red-white-and-blue U.S. supporters on the different finish and behind the American bench.
The U.S. outshot Iran 9-0 within the first half however didn’t break via till Pulisic got here up with the large second {that a} rising and more and more demanding fan base again residence had been pining for.
McKennie lofted a move from simply previous the middle circle to Sergiño Dest on the fringe of the 6-yard field. Dest headed the ball in entrance of the web on a bounce as Pulisic charged up the centre of the sphere previous Ramin Rezaeian and Majid Hosseini.
Turning his physique to let the ball hit his proper foot, Pulisic redirected the ball for his twenty second worldwide purpose and first in World Cup play. His momentum carried him into goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.
.acf-block-preview .instagram-twitter-container {
width: 340px;
margin: 0 auto;
}
“Christian makes those runs. That’s what he does. That’s the special quality he has,” Berhalter mentioned. “As soon as the ball is wide, he goes in with intensity to the penalty box and good things happen and you score goals.”
Berhalter thought Pulisic obtained second-half updates on telephone apps.
Weah, who scored the Americans’ purpose within the opening 1-1 draw with Wales, almost doubled the lead within the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time however was dominated offside.
With England forward of Wales, Iran knew it wanted solely a draw to advance and eventually obtained its first shot at goalkeeper Matt Turner when Saman Ghoddos put a header over the crossbar within the 52nd minute. Saeid Ezatolahi put an open shot excessive and vast within the seventieth and Morteza Pouraliganji’s diving header within the third minute of 9 minutes of stoppage time went simply vast.
Walker Zimmerman cleared a unfastened ball in entrance of the open internet within the ninth minute after Cameron Carter-Vickers obtained a slight hand on Mehdi Taremi.
“I hope that our followers and our individuals in Iran forgive us. I’m simply sorry,” Taremi mentioned.
LINEUPS
Cameron Carter-Vickers, a son of former NBA participant Howard Carter, made his World Cup debut instead of Zimmerman and gave the U.S. a completely Europe-based lineup for the primary time ever in World Cup play.
YOUNG AT HEART
The U.S. lineup averaged 24 years, and 321 days, the youngest of any crew on the event up to now and the youngest within the World Cup for the Americans since 1990. Yunus Musah turned 20, the primary American to look in a World Cup match on his birthday.
LOOKING AHEAD
The U.S. is 1-4 towards the Netherlands, all friendlies, overcoming a two-goal deficit to win 4-3 at Amsterdam in 2015.
“I think that’s the American spirit, the way this group plays, and I think people will appreciate that,” Berhalter mentioned.
.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper {
show: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
hole: 20px;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper a {
pointer-events: none;
cursor: default;
text-decoration: none;
colour: black;
}
