Blam! The US Men’s National Soccer Team advanced Tuesday to the Round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup by beating Iran 1-0.
Christian Pulisic went all-out to turn a pass from Sergino Dest into the winning goal, staying in the game despite his injury before getting subbed out in the second half as his teammates held off a furious Iranian attack.
This success is sure to feed Americans’ growing interest in what other nations call “football”: Fox Sports’ broadcast of Friday’s opening game against England already set a new record for US soccer viewership, with more than 15.3 million sets tuned in — eclipsing the old record of 14.5 million for the US-set finale of the 1994 Cup.
Iran only needed a tie to grab the bracket’s No. 2 slot and send the Americans home. But it’s the Iranians headed home — under a cloud. The team heroically sided with the protesters back home as the tournament began — then had to meet with the regime’s notorious Revolutionary Guard after they refused to sing the national anthem before their first match.
Reportedly, their families were “threatened with imprisonment and torture” if the players didn’t “behave” Tuesday. Now they have to worry if a loss to “the Great Satan” was the final straw.
Cheer America’s heroes, but say a prayer for Iran’s.
