The US had just beaten Carlos Queiroz’s Iran 1-0 thanks to Christian Pulisic’s first-half goal at the Al Thumama Stadium. Tyler Adams, the US captain, walked into the mixed zone with a big smile. The American journalists rushed for his quotes.
“We played well. It was a tough match. It’s a huge relief for us to make the last-16,” said Tyler, who had already shown his maturity ahead of the game with a nuanced response to an Iranian journalist’s question on discrimination in the US.
“Oh, the group is happy. In the dressing room, there was a brief celebration. That’s all,” said Cameron Carter-Vickers who walked in after Tyler left.
“It’s doubly sweet. Today was my birthday and then this victory,” defender Yunus Musah, who turned 20, added. The Iranian scribes did not even bother to record their quotes.
“The better team won,” said Rezai Ali, a young reporter from Borna News Agency.
The build-up to the match had been controversial, the political rivals were meeting in the World Cup for the first time since 1998, but on the field it looked like just another game.
After the final whistle, the US players were seen consoling Mehdi Taremi, who was distraught at another missed opportunity of making the last-16.
Former US coach Juergen Klinsmann had stoked the fire by claiming it was in the Iranian culture to heckle referees that forced them to lose focus.
That had led to a strong reaction from Iran coach Queiroz, who invited Klinsmann to attend an Iran training session but only after resigning from Fifa’s Technical Study Group.
Iranian state media called for the US to be kicked out of the tournament after the United States Soccer Federation doctored Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran.
The post was later deleted.
The Al Thumama Stadium also was divided.
Deafening chants of “USA” from one side were countered by “Iran”.
However, the cacophony did not affect the players.
“Not really. It was not like an away match. We did not pay any attention to what was happening outside,” said Vickers.
Iran started well in the initial phase and then lost their way.
The US were dominating the game and a goal was inevitable.
It came in the 38th minute when Pulisic put his body on the line which saw him colliding with Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, himself badly injured after a teammate rammed into him during the England match last week. Iran did not have a good World Cup.
The controversy surrounding the singing of the national anthem affected the team against England, they regrouped well against Wales winning 2-0 but against the US they were just not there. Sardar Azmoun, Bayer Leverkusen’s star striker, was injured before the World Cup but Queiroz gambled on him.
Azmoun was not in the mix on Tuesday, hardly troubling the US defence, and was taken off at half-time. Taremi tried his best but the going got too tough for him. “There would be a post-mortem of this debacle,” journalist Ali said as the wait became longer for the Iranian players to come out.
They did, after more than 90 minutes.
Taremi, who was limping, did not even look at the Iranian journalists who were already throwing questions at him.
“We knew they wouldn’t answer. Too heartbroken,” Ali said.
Suddenly word came that Queiroz, who was at the news conference, might take some questions at the mixed zone too.
The Portuguese, the longest-serving manager of the Iran national team from 2011 to 2019, walked in.
“Second half we were much better and created chances. With luck, we could have advanced,” he said. And then he looked at a volunteer on duty.
“Why are you laughing? Are you laughing at me? I will throw you out from here,” Queiroz was fuming.
The volunteer tried to reason but the veteran was not in a mood to listen. Slowly he calmed down.
“When you play against Ferraris you need to close the highway. That’s what we did in the second half.”
Iran’s next big challenge is the AFC Asian Cup to be held next year in Doha.
Queiroz, who took charge of the team in September, would not be there as the full-time coach.
