Winners-take-all contest as bitter foes US and Iran clash
It’s only a football game, American coach says, but politics is also playing a part in must-watch match
The United States and Iran, diplomatic rivals for more than 40 years, clash on the football pitch tonight (3am, Hong Kong time), their places at the World Cup on the line in a fitting finale for the most politically charged group at this year’s tournament.
The national team coaches sidestepped the icy bilateral relations, saying they were focused on the tournament and its ability to bring people together.
Washington and Tehran severed diplomatic relations in 1980 after the Islamic revolution. Ties have been strained in recent years when then-president Donald Trump pulled the US out of an Iran nuclear deal. The US killed a top Iranian general in 2020 and Tehran responded with missile strikes at US forces based in Iraq.
“I envision the game being hotly contested for the fact that both teams want to advance to the next round, not because of politics,” US coach Gregg Berhalter said.
“The thing about soccer is you meet so many different people from all around the world, and you’re united by a common love of the sport. We’re soccer players and we’re going to compete and they’re going to compete and that’s it.”
Tonight’s match has been spiced up by the US Soccer Federation temporarily displaying Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic as a show of solidarity with protesters in Iran.
A now-deleted graphic of the Group B standings posted at the weekend across the US federation’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts displayed the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colours.
Players were not consulted on the decision to alter the flag.
Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim
News Agency said the Iranian Football Federation would file a complaint against the US federation to the Fifa ethics committee for “disrespecting the national flag” of the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s dramatic 2-0 win over Wales and the US team’s tense goalless stalemate against England has set up a tantalising final round of Group B matches.
England, sitting top with four points, face bottom side Wales (also 3am, Hong Kong time), meaning the Iran-United States contest will decide which team go through to the round of 16.
We’re going to compete and they’re going to compete ... that’s it
U.S. COACH GREGG BERHALTER
The odds are heavily stacked against Wales reaching the last 16 ahead of their so-called Battle of Britain against England but if they are to fly home early they will want to do so with pride restored.
Wales have waited 64 years to qualify for a World Cup but after conceding two goals to Iran deep into stoppage time, it looks like being only a brief stay. in Middle East.
That late defeat left Wales crestfallen and at the bottom of Group B and needing to beat England for only the 14th time in 104 meetings, a rivalry dating back to 1879.
Even a victory might not be enough to save Wales as they would also need the other remaining group match between Iran and the US to end in a draw.