Can the USMNT Tie Iran And Still Get Out Of The Group Stage?
The United States will compete in its final group stage match on Tuesday.
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After the United States and England battled to a 0–0 draw in Qatar, World Cup fans watching around the world may be starting to wonder what comes next following Friday’s match.
The U.S. men’s national team, coming off a 1–1 draw against Wales on Monday, turned in their first-ever World Cup scoreless draw in a match they needed to have to gain an important edge in the standings. Interestingly for coach Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT, the tight race developing in Group B could lead to a number of scenarios as the group stage nears it end.
With a 2–0 win over Wales earlier in the day, Iran now boasts three points and sat in a tie with England for first place until the draw. Iran’s big-time victory sets the stage for a dramatic finish for the USMNT, as the two sides will face off Tuesday in a huge match that will ultimately decide their fate.
Should the USMNT earn a win over Iran, the team would advance to the knockout stage with a total of five points. However, if the squad ends a third consecutive match in a draw or loses the match, the U.S. would be eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 2006.
With USA-England now in the books, the Group B standings now sit as follows:
1. England (4 points; plus-4 goal differential)
2. Iran (3 points; minus-2 goal differential)
3. USA (2 points; 0 goal differential)
4. Wales (1 point; minus-2 goal differential)