The task is clear for the United States men's national team when it plays Iran in its final Group B game of the World Cup at Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday: Win or go home.
While many teams still have multiple options in order to advance to the knockout phase of the tournament, including Iran, the Americans have no choice but to get the three points that come with a victory.
The biggest soccer fans in the world journeyed to Qatar in their love of the beautiful game and hunger to experience Middle Eastern culture. The World Cup in Qatar pulled in more foreigners to this part of the world than all the crusades combined. Only the pilgrimage to Mecca has a greater influx of people to this region of Asia.
Los Ticos were in a world of hurt after their opening match, losing 7-0 to a well-oiled Spain side. The Costa Ricans were sentenced to death by passing as Luis Enrique’s side completed a staggering 1,045 passes in the match, but their performance against a Japan side that shockingly beat Germany on matchday one was more than laudable, grabbing a winner in the 81st minute while also keeping the Samurai Blue off the score sheet.
DOHA - Iran coach Carlos Queiroz lambasted German soccer icon Jürgen Klinsmann for criticizing his team's World Cup conduct, calling his remarks a "disgrace to football" and urging him to quit his FIFA post, as Iran's soccer federation demanded an apology.
In comments as an analyst with broadcaster BBC, 1990 World Cup winner Klinsmann accused Iran of systematic gamesmanship during their stunning 2-0 stoppage-time win over Wales on Friday and said Queiroz's record with other national teams made him the right match for Iran.
Estados Unidos soñaba con un empate en este partido. Sin embargo, luego de un gol anulado y dos tiros en los postes en una misma jugada, Irán finalmente encontró premio a su insistencia y derrotó a Gales con dos estocadas in extremis, ¡al minuto 98 y al 101!
El Team Melli mostró una cara mucho más colorida que la fantasmal imagen que dejó en la derrota 6-2 ante Inglaterra, en su debut en el Grupo B de Catar, del que también forma parte el Team USA.
When FIFA awarded Qatar the World Cup back in 2010, concerns raised over the degrees of change the conservative country would go through in welcoming the world. My American peers expressed one main inquiry when I shared my plan to travel for the Cup: How will you drink beer over there?
Uruguay and Real Madrid star Federico Valverde almost had the highlight of his career on Thursday during his nation’s 0-0 draw vs. South Korea. With the score tied at in the 89th minute, Valverde ripped a shot from over 25 yards out that nearly brought the house down.
For the first time ever, American families will enjoy their traditional Thanksgiving meals before gathering around the television to watch something far superior to whatever the Detroit Lions are planning this season — the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We get four World Cup games on Thanksgiving Day this year, beginning at 5 a.m. ET and ending with the introduction of five-time world champions Brazil in Qatar at 2 p.m. ET.
Saudi defender Yasser Al-Shahrani was one of the stars in the surprising 2-1 win over Argentina. However, the player was not able to celebrate the victory properly after suffering a nasty facial injury. So bad that he was taken off the field on a stretcher and then flown home for surgery.
The whole sequence was hard to see.
Germany kicked off its 2022 campaign with a continuation of its World Cup struggles from four years ago. Japan scored a late equalizer followed by an even later winner to secure a historic 2-1 win over the champions from 2014.