On the heels of a 1-1 draw against Wales on Monday, the United States hoped to put together a strong effort against England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Unfortunately, despite the strength of myriad chances and plenty of corner kicks in the second half, the USMNT could not secure the outright victory as the match ended in a 0-0 draw. On Tuesday, the U.S. has one more match in the group stages against Iran. However, before jumping into the next game, let's discuss the ramifications of Friday's draw vs. England.
What USMNT draw vs. Wales means for World Cup chances
Plainly, the USMNT controls its own destiny. On Tuesday, the team must defeat Iran outright to advance beyond the group stage into the knockouts. With their 2-0 win over Wales on Friday, Iran has three points to the United States' two in Group B. A draw on Tuesday would give one point to each nation and, by effect, send the USMNT packing. However, their chances of advancing are reasonably good should the U.S. perform as they did against England today.
In the first half, midfielder Weston McKennie had a tremendous shot right next to the goal, and star forward Christian Pulisic's strike that hit the crossbar had crowds of U.S. fans roaring worldwide. On the surface level, fans can point to each of those chances as signs of encouragement.
The USMNT did a great job creating chances on the righthand side of the field against England. Instead of having McKennie playing in the middle, he was flanked out wide for much of the contest. Through that shift in strategy, he and defender Sergiño Dest had a great connection on the field on Friday. The USMNT showed up tactically different than they did against Wales, so it will be tough for Iran to anticipate what will be thrown at them. Furthermore, no U.S. players with yellows from the previous game against Wales picked up additional yellow cards, and as a result, the USMNT will have their full assortment of players against Iran.
As far as Iran is concerned, their two late goals against Wales today showed a remarkable ability to handle pressure. Historically, Iran has been very strong defensively under the tutelage of manager Carlos Quei. The USMNT will need to wear down their defensive front to put forth a winning effort. Queiroz has led multiple countries, including South Africa and his native Portugal, to World Cup berths. They are a well-coached unit with a pair of strikers, Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun, that are both extremely talented and good on the counterattack. It will be incumbent upon the USMNT not to make errant passes that could lead to turnovers.
So, will the USMNT emerge victorious on Tuesday in their crucial showdown against Iran? With fans of the U.S. and the world watching, it will be outrageously entertaining to see what takes place in the do-or-die match of Group B.
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