sport news FINALLY! Americans celebrate Team USA World Cup win over Iran, round-of-16 berth trends now
It was a celebration eight years in the making, but American soccer fans finally toasted a round-of-16 berth at the World Cup, thanks to Tuesday's 1-0 win over Iran in the Group B finale.
Following Christian Pulisic's go-ahead goal in the 38th minute, Team USA supporters from New York to Los Angeles burst out into applause, albeit only momentarily. That excitement turned into a few nervous moments as Pulisic remained on the turf with an apparent injury following the score. He would briefly return, but was subbed out at halftime.
The US needed the win over Iran in the Group B finale to advance to the knockout stage for the first time since 2014, but that victory was anything but a sure thing against a surging Iranian team coming off a 2-0 win over Wales. Tuesday's second half included more than a few nervous moments as Iran generated a series of scoring chances. The Americans now advance to face the Netherlands on Saturday at 10am EST.
For many, enjoying a daytime World Cup game in a bar marks a new experience for the growing number of American soccer fans. The team didn't qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia – considered one of the greatest disappointments in USMNT history – and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was played at convenient times for American audiences, given the shared time zones.
Since then, soccer has moved ahead of hockey to become the fourth most-watched sport among Americans, who have grown accustomed to watching European matches on weekend mornings. And increasingly, those matches are played by Americans, like Chelsea's Pulisic, or Leeds United's Tyler Adams.
Unlike last week's match against England, Tuesday's game was not seen on the jumbotrons lining New York's Times Square, but soccer fans still found ways to watch, nonetheless. Some packed into bars and restaurants, while others took in the action at work on their computers and cell phones.
Soccer fans celebrate as the USA score in the first half as they play Iran in their FIFA 2022 World Cup soccer match at The Globe Pub in Chicago
World Cup fans gather at the Smithfield Hall watch the US match against Iran on Friday in New York City
Following Christian Pulisic's go-ahead goal in the 38th minute, US fans at Smithfield Hall if New York celebrate
Fans in Los Angeles watch Iran face off against the United States in their second ever World Cup meeting
A United States fan watches the match on a screen in Bierhaus NYC, one of many bars catering to World Cup fans
Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, smiling US and Iranian fans mingled and posed for photos outside a stadium in Doha ahead Tuesday's match.
The atmosphere was generally festive though the political divisions among Iran fans were apparent outside Al Thumama Stadium, as they have been during previous Iran games during the tournament, with pro-government fans confronting those expressing support for the antigovernmental protests across Iran.
Two London-based Iranians, wearing T-shirts with the slogan of protests, were repeatedly harassed while talking to an Associated Press journalist on
