American soccer fans exhaled a collective sigh of relief on Tuesday as the United States Men's National Soccer Team narrowly hung on to a 1-0 lead in the final seconds of the thrilling 'Group Stage' game against Iran. Christian Pulisic scored America's only goal at the 38:00 mark, as he collided with Iran's goalkeeper, Alireza Beiranvand. Although the team captain managed to finish out the first half, he was unable to return afterward, leaving his replacement, Brenden Aaronson, and their teammates to complete the task in a highly contested match-up that nearly ended in a draw, which would have eliminated the USMNT from the World Cup.
The USMNT outshot Iran, but Saeid Ezatolahi and Morteza Pouraliganji’s came nervously close to tying the game as the clock winded down. The win means that America finishes in second place in Group B, behind England, keeping their hopes alive as they staved off elimination. The USMNT will now advance to the 'Knockout Stage' and face Poland on Saturday. On the flip side, Iran entered the game having to win or tie to avoid being ousted. Thus, their quest for a World Cup title this year, has ended.
Source: USA Today
