World Cup: US tops Iran to advance

DOHA, Qatar — Christian Pulisic kicked the ball, scored the goal and then crashed into the goalkeeper, a collision that sent the American star to the hospital and the United States into the second round of the World Cup.

More than an hour later, he contacted his teammates by FaceTime to join the celebration.

Pulisic’s 38th-minute goal held up, and the United States beat Iran 1-0 on Tuesday in their politically charged rematch to advance to the World Cup’s knockout stage.

“Every single player is ready to lay their body on the line to make sure this team is successful,” United States midfielder Weston McKennie said.

The Americans finished second in Group B with five points, two behind England, and will play the Netherlands on Saturday with the chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.

“I always say it’s us against the world,” forward Tim Weah said. “No one believed the U.S. could play good football.”

Pulisic was sprawled on the field and lying in the goal for about three minutes as he received treatment from the U.S. staff. He tried to continue playing but was substituted at the start of the second half with Brenden Aaronson and taken for abdominal scans.

U.S. Soccer said Pulisic suffered a pelvic contusion and was day to day. He left the hospital and returned to the team hotel.

“I sent him a text and checked on him, and he said, ‘Best believe I’ll be ready on Saturday,’” McKennie said.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said Pulisic felt dizziness after the collision.

Back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament, the U.S. opened with draws against Wales and England and needed a victory to reach the round of 16.

Iran finished third in the group with three points. The team has failed to advance in all six of its World Cup appearances.

“The dream is over with this result,” Iran coach Carlos Queiroz said. “The U.S. started the game much better than us, more quick with better control of the game.”

Raucous Iranian fans with horns and drums in the crowd of 42,127 filled the lower bowl behind one goal at Al Thumama Stadium and were far louder than the red-white-and-blue U.S. supporters at the other end and behind the American bench.

The U.S. outshot Iran 9-0 in the first half but didn’t break through until Pulisic came up with the big moment that a growing and increasingly demanding fan base back home had been pining for.

McKennie lofted a pass from just past the center circle to Sergiño Dest at the edge of the 6-yard box. Dest headed the ball in front of the net on a bounce as Pulisic charged up the center of the field past Ramin Rezaeian and Majid Hosseiniand.

Turning his body to let the ball hit his right foot, Pulisic redirected the ball for his 22nd international goal and first in World Cup play. His momentum carried him into goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

“Christian makes those runs. That’s what he does. That’s the special quality he has,” Berhalter said. “As soon as the ball is wide, he goes in with intensity to the penalty box and good things happen and you score goals.”

Berhalter thought Pulisic got second-half updates on phone apps.

England 3, Wales 0

AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden both scored to put England into the last 16 of the World Cup with a victory against Wales. England coach Gareth Southgate opted to put both players in the starting lineup for the team’s final Group B match and they responded with all three goals. England will next face Senegal in the round of 16. Wales finished in last place in the group and has been eliminated. Southgate had faced calls to freshen up his team after the 0-0 draw with the United States. He brought in Rashford and Foden into a new look attack and it worked.

Netherlands 2, Qatar 0

AL KHOR, Qatar — The Netherlands finished off the worst showing by any World Cup host nation by beating Qatar.

The Dutch advanced to the round of 16 by winning Group A while the already eliminated Qataris became the first host to lose all three of its group games at soccer’s biggest event. Cody Gakpo put the Netherlands ahead midway through the first half with his third goal in as many matches and Frenkie de Jong doubled the advantage five minutes into the second half.

The Netherlands is a three-time runner-up at the World Cup and also finished third in 2014. Qatar was making its tournament debut.

Senegal 2, Ecuador 1

AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Kalidou Koulibaly literally drew inspiration on his captain’s armband, writing the No. 19 on it in memory of one of Senegal’s most loved players.

Then Koulibaly became one himself.

The Senegal captain scored the winning goal in the victory against Ecuador, putting his team into the round of 16 at the World Cup despite the absence of the injured Sadio Mane, the team’s best player and one of the best strikers in the world.

The No. 19 was to honor Papa Bouba Diop, the Senegal midfielder who scored the winning goal against defending champion France in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup. It was one of Senegal’s greatest soccer moments and a victory that started that team’s run to the quarterfinals — still Senegal’s best performance.