The United States Men’s National Team has reached the end of the group stage at the 2022 World Cup, carrying draws against Wales and England, 1-1 and 0-0, respectively. The final remaining opponent before the knockout rounds is Iran, currently sitting at second. Three points is a necessity, with anything less resulting in a quick exit from the competition. Al-Thumama Stadium in the capital city of Doha is playing host to what should be a hotly-contested tactical chess match.
This is the third all-time meeting between the two nations, with Iran holding a 1-0-1 advantage. Currently ranked 20th in the world by FIFA, Team Melli qualified for the final round by finishing atop the Asian Football Confederation’s Group A with an 8-1-1 record and is looking to improve upon group-stage exits in 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, and 2018.