- Iran were thrashed 6-2 by England but recovered to beat Wales 2-0.
- The USA have two draws: 1-1 with Wales and 0-0 against England.
- Iran have never gone past the group stage.
- USA returns to World Cup for the first time in eight years
Fulltime! (21:03 GMT)
USA win 1-0 and are through to the Round of 16!
Cleared off the line! (21:03 GMT)
Iran play a long ball in and the ball ends up past Turner but is comfortably cleared. Taremi was on the floor there and Iran were bellowing for a penalty. VAR says no.
90+7 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
A whisker away (20:57 GMT)
Iran’s low free kick is headed just wide by Torabi. That had Turner worried.
90+4 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Nine minutes of injury time! (20:54 GMT)
An eternity for the US, a split second for Iran. Time is a relative concept in injury time.
90+1 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Iran have been listless today (20:52 GMT)
Just the one shot on target for Iran today. Matt Turner has had busier days on the bench for Arenal. They scored twice in injury time against Wales. Will there be more late drama here?
89 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
With ten minutes to go…(20:46 GMT)
US shore up the backline (20:46 GMT)
Dest and Weah are off, defenders Zimmerman and Moore are on. The USA are 10 minutes away from the Round of 16.
82 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Hosseini goes into the book (20:43 GMT)
The center back’s cynically tackles Aaronson and receives Iran’s first yellow for the game. Both sides have made changes too – Wright is on for Sargent and Gholizadeh is replaced by Ansarifard for Iran.
77 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Iran fans remember Mahsa Amini (20:41 GMT)
Fans at the USA-Iran match make sure the name of Mahsa Amini is seen again around the world. Amini was a 22-year-old woman who was detained by Iran’s morality police over her clothing. [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
Changes for Iran: Torabi for Nuorollahi, Borani for Hajsafi (20:36 GMT)
Twenty minutes for Iran to find an equaliser here.
71 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Mussah’s free kick flies over (20:34 GMT)
The US win a free kick in a good position but Valencia man Yunus Musah shoots well over the bar. It’s encouraging to see US not sitting on their lead here. The attack is the best form of defence and all that.
68 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Taremi goes close (20:30 GMT)
Amiri squares the ball across goal from the right and his shot goes past Ghoddos but reaches Taremi, who opens up his body but his shot flies wide. It wasn’t an easy chance but Taremi did well to get his shot off there. Iran are growing into the game here.
66 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Fan stands (20:30 GMT)
A frustrated Iran supporter watches on at Al Thumama Stadium [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
But the tension isn’t over for USA fans either [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
McKennie has been immense (20:23 GMT)
We’d said earlier how today’s game will hinge heavily on the midfield battle. Weston McKennie was clearly reading our blog because he’s been everywhere today. His distribution has been exceptional and so often, he’s been the one to clean up the loose ball. Along with Dest, he’s been USA’s best player.
60 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Iran showing more intent (20:16 GMT)
About time, really. Taremi has moved more central and Ghoddos has looked lively since coming on. It’s taken 50 minutes for Iran but they finally have their first shot of the game through Ghoddos. England are currently 2-0 up against Wales so barring an improbable comeback, all Iran need to do is draw here.
53 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Good chance for Sargent (20:11 GMT)
Early chance for the USA! Sargent makes a run in behind but his shot is tame and is straight at Beiranvand. The game has picked up right where it was left off, with the US on the front foot.
47 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
“More pressure needed” from Team USA (20:09 GMT)
So far, American Mark Agnew says he is “very satisfied” with the performance of Pulisic and co.
“I thought both teams played great,” the 51-year-old teacher from Chicago told Al Jazeera. “[There has been] more pressure from us throughout the game, we kept more possession – but I don’t think the game is over, by any means.”
Halftime changes for both sides (20:09 GMT)
Goal scorer Pulisic hasn’t come back on for the second half and is replaced by Brendon Aaronson.
For Iran, Mohammadi and Azmoun are off. Karimi and Ghoddos are on in their place
‘So much work to do’ (20:07 GMT)
The Iranian fans looked exasperated at half-time, still in disbelief that the USA took the lead.
“We have so much work to do,” Rasam, 46 from Hamedan told Al Jazeera.
“The US, I hate to say, is defending much better and taking more chances – they are playing like a team.”
Time for some highlights (20:01 GMT)
There’s no football for ten minutes or so, so here’s a bunch of pictures from the first half…
Tim Weah, son of FIFA World Footballer of the Year George Weah (now president of Liberia), putting Iran under pressure [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
USA’s Sergino Dest competes with Iran’s Mehdi Taremi and Ali Karimi [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
Iran try to equalise shortly after the USA score the opening goal [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
Sergino Dest sprints past Iran’s Ehsan Hajsafi [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
The first half in numbers (19:54 GMT)
Halftime (19:54 GMT)
USA in the ascendancy here and go into the break in the lead.
Half time: Iran 0-1 USA
Disallowed goal for USA!
Weah scores with a neat finish that goes in off the post but he’s adjudged to be offside.
45+5mins: Iran 0-1 USA
Iran need to wake up here (19:48 GMT)
Adams wins the ball back deep in his own half and he plays a beautifully weighted through ball to Sargent, who surges into the box and finds the overlapping Weah but his shot is blocked. USA smell blood here.
44 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Pulisic is struggling here (19:45 GMT)
He clattered into Iran keeper Beiranvand when scoring that goal. It didn’t look pretty and he’s currently off the pitch to receive treatment. The game has burst into life and Iran look shaken. Amidst all this, US captain Tyler Adams has picked up a booking.
43 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
A sea of Iranians (19:42 GMT)
is clearly outnumbering their American opponents.
Iranians are filling the stands at Al Thumama Stadium [Muneeb Siddiqui/Al Jazeera]
[Muneeb Siddiqui/Al Jazeera]
GOAL! (19:40 GMT)
Pulisic scores!
38 mins: Iran 0-1 USA
USA are knocking on the door (19:36 GMT)
But, they are yet to bang it down. There’s a verve and fluidity to their play but there haven’t been any concrete chances yet. They’ve had just five shots on target all tournament.
35 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Keeping calm…(19:30 GMT)
Iran’s coach Carlos Queiroz watching from the sidelines [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
Chance for Weah! (19:30 GMT)
Pulisic creates space for a shot on the edge of the box and his blocked strike falls to Weah, who is 5 yards away from the goal. But, the ball sat up awkwardly for him and he isn’t able to make strong contact with his head. Straight into Beiranvand’s hands.
27 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Iran sitting deep (19:27 GMT)
Iran seem content to sit deep and play on the counter. A draw could suffice for them today but is sitting back and inviting pressure the best way to go about things? USA have dominated possession so far.
27 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Route 1 for Iran (19:22 GMT)
Iran aren’t complicating things. A long ball over the top is played into Taremi but his pass into the on rushing Azmoun is well intercepted by Ream. It didn’t come to much but early warning signs for US.
22 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Stat attack (19:22 GMT)
With 20 minutes on the clock, this is how the game is looking in numbers. By the way, you can access these stats, and more, updated live, by clicking on the tab at the top of this blog.
Iran fans setting the atmosphere (19:19 GMT)
The Iranian fans are deafening in Al Thumama Stadium [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
Iran fans are leading the atmosphere in Doha’s Al Thumama Stadium [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
US’ wing backs look dangerous (19:19 GMT)
Robinson and Dest are creating problems for Iran here. The ball is being played quickly into them and they’ve put in a few dangerous crosses into the box. The US is stretching Iran out here.
18 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Early action from the USA (19:12 GMT)
Early attacks form the USA at Al Thumama Stadium [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
Musah fires over (19:11 GMT)
Robinson’s cross is cleared out and it falls to Moussa, who fires over. First shot of the game.
10 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Electrifying atmosphere (19:10 GMT)
As the referee’s whistle blows, the noise in the stadium can only be described as ear-splitting.
The Iranian fans seem to have every piece of noise-making equipment on hand – whistles, vuvuzelas, trumpets – that could impair one’s hearing capacity, as they shout “Iran, Iran” along with the very loud beating of their drums.
Midfield battles (19:09 GMT)
Both teams have dynamic midfields and they are both trying to impose themselves on the game here. Brisk start for both sides.
8mins: Iran 0-0 USA
The Iran fans are in the minority in this Los Angeles crowd [Brian Osgood/Al Jazeera]
While a draw could suffice for Iran, anything less than a win for the US will see them knocked out. A draw could see them become the first team in a 32 team World Cup to be knocked out without losing a game.
3 mins: Iran 0-0 USA
Kickoff! (19:00 GMT)
And we’re off!
…and Iran players have sung theirs.
