World Cup news and highlights

During post-match coverage, FOX Sports broadcaster Rob Stone provided an update on the condition of American forward Christian Pulisic, who was injured as he scored the game-winning goal for the United States in its match against Iran.

Stone said of Pulisic: “He was taken to the hospital. We’re being told it’s an abdominal injury. So we’ll find out more over the next 24 hours if Christian will be available as the US gets set to take on the Netherlands.”

CNN has reached out to US Soccer for comment.

As Group B runners-up, the United States will face Group A winners the Netherlands on Saturday.

US President Joe Biden celebrated team USA’s win telling reporters, “USA, USA, that’s a big game man!”

“Well I spoke to the coach and the players and said, ‘You can do it this’ … they did it. God love ‘em,” the President continued in a video tweeted by the US Men’s National Soccer Team shortly after the team’s 1-0 victory over Iran.

Watch the moment:

The US Men’s National Soccer Team thanked fans following their historic win over Iran.

Team USA will advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup after the Americans defeated Iran 1-0

View their reaction, below:

Iranian forward Karim Ansarifard and midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi cry after a loss against USA at Al-Thumama Stadium on Tuesday.

Following his team’s 1-0 loss to the United States, Iran midfielder Saeed Ezatolahi was emotional and apologetic.

Speaking after the disappointing loss, Ezatolahi said, “I’m really sorry on behalf of our players, our group, that we couldn’t get our opportunity to qualify for the next round. Life and football is going on, and that can be a good lesson for us, at least for the young players like me for the future. So I hope our fans and our people in Iran, they forgive us. And I feel just sorry, that’s it.”

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz speaks to referees at full time after a 1-0 loss to USA at Al Thumama Stadium on Tuesday.

Following his team’s 1-0 loss to the United States, Iran manager Carlos Queiroz said “the dream is over.”

Queiroz, speaking right after the final whistle said, “The first half was US and the second half Iran. The difference (was) we didn’t score in the second half as we should. But, the dream is over.

“Now, it’s thinking about the next step for Iran.”

Shaq Moore of the United States challenges Iran's Abolfazl Jalali on Tuesday.

The United States punched its ticket?to the round of 16 with a?1-0 victory over Iran.

The US opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Midfielder Weston McKennie lofted a pinpoint cross to a streaking Sergino Dest who headed into the path of Pulisic who bravely scored.

Pulisic and Iranian keeper Ali Beiranvand collided after the ball found the back of the net with the American lying on the ground in discomfort for minutes. Pulisic needed assistance to leave the field but did return to action.

Pulisic was substituted at half. US coach Gregg Berhalter told the FOX Sports sideline reporter that Pulisic suffered an abdominal injury.

It took a ton of gutsy defending by the USA in the second half — including seeing out nine minutes of stoppage time — to preserve their slim lead and get over the mark.

Iran did have a chance at goal late in the game but the US were able to clear the line.

Where things stand: The USA finishes second in Group B and will face the Netherlands on Saturday. England finishes atop the group after they battered Wales today, 3-0.

The US Men’s National Soccer Team celebrated the victory on Twitter:

CNN’s David Close contributed reporting to this post.

England's Marcus Rashford, right, is greeted by England's head coach Gareth Southgate as he leaves the pitch during the match against Wales.

It’s full time and England has advanced to the knockout round of the World Cup.

England dominated possession throughout the match and comfortably defeated Wales after scoring 3 goals within 18 minutes in the second half.

The Dragons did not show much evidence of being able to withstand the English onslaught, making only seven shots on goal while their neighbors had 18 attempts.

They included 2 goals from Marcus Rashford and one from Phil Foden.

Wales is out of the World Cup.

England advances to the knockout stage, where it will face Senegal, the African team that booked its berth earlier on Tuesday.

United States' Josh Sargent (24) is upended by Iran's Majid Hosseini during the World Cup group B soccer match between Iran and the United States at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Team USA’s Haji Wright was substituted in after Josh Sargent collided with an Iranian player.

USA goalscorer Christian Pulisic was also substituted out at the half after a collision.

Team USA, currently leading Iran 1-0, needs a win to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup.

England's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring his side's third goal against Wales on Tuesday.

Marcus Rashford scored his second goal of the day against Wales, displaying some nimble footwork in the penalty box before shooting the ball underneath goalkeeper Danny Ward.

The score in the 68th minute came following a sweet pass from Kalvin Phillips.

England 3-0 Wales

England's Phil Foden scores his country's second goal against Wales.

Two minutes after Marcus Rashford’s goal, fellow midfielder Phil Foden scored England’s second goal, which came via an assist from Harry Kane.

England 2-0 Wales.

American star Christian Pulisic went down hard after scoring the opening goal in the first half.

Brenden Aaronson came on for Pulisic to start the 2nd half.

England's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring a goal against Wales on Tuesday.

Marcus Rashford delivered the opening goal for England, 5 minutes after the resumption of the second half, with a powerful free kick that crashed into the back of the net.

The second half of the United States and Iran match is now underway.

The US took a 1-0 lead into the break. If this result holds, the USA would advance to the knockout stage and Iran would be going home.

England and Wales have resumed the second half of their final Group B match.

As a reminder, England will qualify for the knockout round with a win or a draw (and even with a loss depending on goal difference), while Wales must win to avoid going home.

During the first half, the Three Lions dominated play with more than 60% of ball possession and nine shots on goal.

Timothy Weah of the United States reacts after scoring a goal which was later ruled offside.

USA’s Timothy Weah was denied a goal shortly before halftime because the referee flagged he was offside.

You might be confused as to what and how offside is defined, so here’s an explanation:

First of all, only the team with possession of the ball in its opponent’s half of the field can be offside.?

Let’s say a player on Team A is attacking with the ball. If this player’s teammate — head, arms, body and feet included — is ahead of the ball and doesn’t have at least two of Team B’s players (including the goalkeeper) in line or in front of them when the ball is played, then this teammate is offside.

It’s kind of like conveniently camping out at the goal post, waiting to receive the ball.

Even if this teammate was not passed the ball, the fact that they were positioned this close to the goal or opposition goalkeeper ahead of time makes them offside, colloquially referred to as “still interfering with play.”

And timing is of the essence. Because when the teammate receives the ball while onside, they are then free to outrun Team B’s players, get close to the goal and score.

The exception to this rule is corner kicks, goal kicks and throw-ins.

The United States leads Iran 1-0 at the half in?their final group stage match.

It was a Christian Pulisic goal in the?39th minute that broke the tie for the US. After scoring, Pulisic stayed down on the field for a couple of minutes and had to be helped off. He was able to return to action but looked shaken up.

The US came out and attacked — and the statistics reveal a dominant performance from team USA in the first half.?

The US took 9 shots at the Iranian goal, three of which were on target, three off target, and three blocked.?

Iran didn’t get a single shot away and they’re lucky to be just one goal behind. During first half stoppage time, Timothy Weah actually found the back of the net a second time for the US but he was ruled offside.?

The USA can’t relax in the second half, remember — a draw will be good enough for Iran to finish above them and advance to the knockout round.

As things stand, the US would go through and face the Netherlands on Saturday in the round of 16.

England and Wales are tied 0-0 after a first half that was almost entirely played in the Welsh half of the pitch – with the Three Lions dominating with more than 65% of the possession.

England recorded 9 shots on goal vs 2 for Wales.

Christian Pulisic of United States lies on the ground after scoring a goal on Tuesday.

Christian Pulisic went down after scoring the key goal for team USA when players collided in the net.

Pulisic was briefly taken off the field, but quickly came back on.

He is known as Captain America and is considered one of team USA’s star players.

Team USA leads Iran 1-0. They need a win against Iran today to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup.

Christian Pulisic of the United States scores their first goal against Iran on Tuesday.

The USA has broken through. They lead Iran 1-0 late in the first half.

In the 39th minute, Weston McKennie sent a soaring deep pass to Sergino Dest who found Christian Pulisic in front of the net.?

The 24-year-old American phenom buried it in the back of the net.

After the play, Pulisic stayed down for a few minutes inside the goal and was helped off the field.?He quickly returned to the field, however.

England players take a knee before the match against Wales on Tuesday.

England’s players once again took a knee before the start of their match against Wales on Tuesday, a gesture the team’s coach has described as an act of solidarity.

The England team and Premier League clubs have been taking a knee before matches for several years as an anti-racism gesture. They have done so in all the matches they have played so far at Qatar 2022.

After defeating Iran last week, manager Gareth Southgate said kneeling was a way for his players to make their voices heard.

“People know what we stand for,” Southgate said. “People know this group of players, you know, we’re taking the knee because it’s something we feel we can make a difference with. And there are some things that I’m not sure we’re going to be able to make a difference with and therefore we should channel our energies in the right directions.”

More context: Teams have been walking a fine line in Qatar, with players facing potential sanctions if they protest the country’s treatment of LGBTQ people and other human rights issues.

England captain Harry Kane is among the most prominent players not wearing a?“OneLove” armband during the tournament as originally planned, after learning players could receive yellow cards for the display. The armband features a striped heart in different colors to represent all heritages, backgrounds, genders and sexual identities.

The matches featuring Iran vs USA and England vs Wales have begun.

England plays Wales and the US faces Iran at 2 p.m. ET today.

These matches will determine which two teams will qualify for the World Cup knockout stage – the Round of 16 – or go home.

Here are the stakes for each team and the scenarios that could shake out:

England and Wales are set to play at 2 p.m. ET. Here’s a look at the lineups:

England

Manager: Gareth Southgate

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Harry Maguire

Midfielders: Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham

Forwards: Harry Kane

——————-

Wales

Manager: Rob Page

Goalkeepers: Danny Ward

Defenders: Neco Williams, Ben Davies, Chris Mepham, Joe Rodon

Midfielders: Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale, Ethan Ampadu, Daniel James

Forwards: Kieffer Moore

Tyler Adams speaks during a press conference in Doha, Qatar, on Monday.

Tyler Adams is interested in pursuing sports psychology once his playing career is over, according to the US Soccer website, and the?US Men’s National Team’s (USMNT)?captain showed he’s acutely aware of political, cultural and social sensitivities as he spoke ahead of Tuesday’s key Group B?match?against Iran at the?2022 World Cup.

In a media conference on Monday, Adams was told by an Iranian journalist that he had been pronouncing the country’s name incorrectly – “ee-RON” not “EYE-RAN.”

The 23-year-old, who plays for English Premier League team Leeds United, apologized for his mispronunciation to the journalist.

The USMNT captain was then pressed by the same journalist about representing the US despite it being a “country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own borders” in light of the Black Lives Matter protests which gripped the country in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.

“There’s discrimination everywhere you go,” replied Adams, who was born in Wappingers Falls, New York.

“One thing that I’ve learned, especially from living abroad in the past years and having to fit in in different cultures and kind of assimilate into different cultures, is that in the US, we’re continuing to make progress every single day.

“Growing up for me, I grew up in a White family, and with obviously an African-American heritage and background as well,” added Adams.

“So, I had a little bit of different cultures, and I was very easily able to assimilate in different cultures. Not everyone has that ease and the ability to do that, and obviously, it takes longer to understand, and through education, I think it’s super important.

To read more, click here

The United States and Iran are set to play at 2 p.m. ET. Here’s a look at the lineups:

USA

Manager: Gregg Berhalter

Goalkeeper: Matt Turner TURNER

Defenders: Sergino Dest, Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Cameron Carter-Vickers

Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie

Forwards: Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Josh Sargent

——————-

Iran

Manager: Carlos Queiroz

Goalkeepers: Ali Beiranvand

Defenders: Milad Mohammadi, Morteza Pouraliganji, Majid Hosseini, Ramin Rezaeian

Midfielders: Ehsan Haji, Saeid Ezatolahi, Ahmad Noorollahi

Forwards: Mehdi Taremi, Ali Gholizadeh, Sardar Azmoun

On the field, it’s a winner-takes-all game for the US Men’s National Team and Iran. But off it, there are many swirling narratives, and the fans are conflicted.

Politically and ideologically, the two countries have been at odds for the last 40 years, and Tuesday’s game is being played against the backdrop of the Iranian government’s brutal response to the widespread protests which have swept the country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16.

The atmosphere among the Iranian supporters at the Al Thumama Stadium is tense. Many are opposed to the Iranian government, and are refusing to carry the free tricolor flags that are being handed out on the stadium concourse.

Some Iranian fans wanted to speak with CNN, but they were reluctant to appear on camera. One man, however, did decide to speak.

Farshid, who declined to provide his last name, is an Iranian who now lives in London. He confessed that he didn’t feel safe at the game, adding that he was being intimidated by pro-regime elements who were filming him and drowning out his interviews by chanting.

During our interview with him, another Iranian supporter arrived to film what we were doing.

What he said summed up the extraordinary nature of this match — he’s a proud Iranian supporter, but he wants them to lose.

Many fans who have watched World Cup games in Qatar have “commuted” from Dubai to Doha.

So-called “shuttle” planes have been put on for fans to fly from the United Arab Emirates to Qatar and back on game day.

Qatar Airways said it has put on more than 160 extra flights to shuttle spectators from the region to Doha and back each day — a decision which has been criticized by climate activists.

On those flights were many Wales fans — including my own family, a father and three sons.

First for the 1-1 draw against the US and then for the heartbreaking 2-0 loss to Iran, Welsh bucket hats were donned before a cab ride to Al Maktoum International Airport where we were met with many other Wales’ red shirts and similar hats.

With an alcohol ban at Qatar’s World Cup stadiums, many fans congregated around the Al Maktoum International Airport’s Heineken bar — even at 5 a.m. local time — before boarding planes to travel across the Persian Gulf.

The official Welsh fan base is called the “Red Wall.” But these were the Red Planes.

Full of fans, the vast majority of whom who have never seen Wales at World Cup, the flights took 50 minutes to reach Doha International Airport.

On arrival, a short bus ride to the terminal and a quick skip through immigration were the final obstacles before Welsh fans stepped onto the streets of Doha.

Before the US game, the emotion was one of wonderment, excitement and disbelief.

For my 58-year-old father, it was the first and only time he’s seen Wales at a World Cup.

Not one for displays of emotion, he had choked up when Wales qualified for the tournament by beating Ukraine in June in a World Cup playoff.

Ahead of the Iran game, there were nerves, anticipation and dread. “What if Wales lost? What if Wales won? This game can’t come quick enough!”

Both games were held at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium and although other fans expressed difficulties in getting into grounds, we had no issues — we did arrive two hours before the US game.

Once inside, the atmosphere dripped with nerves. Both games, for different reasons, were nail-biting affairs, and the weight of history and the moment affected those in the stands.

As a result, after the adrenaline had worn off, both flights back to Dubai were tired affairs; one landing at 4 a.m. local time, the other coming just hours after Wales had conceded two late goals to Iran to practically extinguish its qualification hopes.

However, within less than an hour of getting on the plane, surrounded by fellow Welsh fans, we were back in Dubai and on the way back to our hotel.

True, both results and performances on the pitch left much to be desired, but in terms of a World Cup experience, as my younger brother put it: “My life has piqued now.”

The US and Iran soccer teams line up before their World Cup match in 1998 in Lyon, France.

When the US and Iran teams meet in Qatar on Tuesday, they will be doing so with the protests and violence that have convulsed Iran – threatening the very nature of the regime that has been in power for more than 40 years – as its backdrop. But this is not the first time that the two countries have met on a soccer pitch under the strain of geopolitical tensions.

The US had qualified for the 1998 World Cup in France, and in December 1997, it was drawn in the same group as Germany, Yugoslavia and, most significantly, Iran. That was the first time that Iran and the US, sometimes described officially in Iran as the ‘Great Satan.’ Just like this time in 2022, when the US played Iran in 1998, it was a must-win match for the US if it was to progress to the knockout stages.

“That was a bit of a distraction,” Steve Sampson told?CNN Sport, adding that FIFA wanted the build-up to solely be about the match and, as a relatively young 41-year-old coach, he ensured his team talks were about “football and nothing else.”

With hindsight, Sampson said he regrets that approach, adding that he could have motivated his side by talking about the political history between the two countries.

On the eve of the match, the Iranian team had received orders from its government not to shake hands, which was FIFA protocol, with the Americans.

“We came to the conclusion that instead of who walks towards who, we will have a joint team photo taken,” Younes Masoudi told FIFATV in 2018.

So on the evening of June 21, at Lyon’s Stade de Gerland, the players took to the pitch and in a choreographed pregame ceremony, Iranian players presented their opponents with white roses as a symbol of peace and the teams posed for a photo together.

“I’ll remember that photo for the rest of my life,” Jalal Talebi, Iran’s then-coach who resided in the US at the time, once said in an interview with the?Guardian. But Sampson said the pre-match ceremony “slightly took away from our focus in the game.”

Iran state media (IRIB) reporting from inside the game and wearing the 1998 World Cup shirt. They’ll be hoping for a repeat of that night in France, when Iran knocked out the USA.

There was high security. “We had 150 armed police, which was unprecedented for a World Cup match. I said we need to bring these 150 and surround this group of fans in order to stop them from invading the pitch,” Masoudi told FIFATV in the 2018 interview.

Iran won 2-1 — its first at a World Cup — prompting wild celebrations in Tehran. The New York Times?reported at the time that “thousands of celebrating fans took to the streets, some women without their scarves.”

The match remained at the forefront of Sampson’s mind for years. “It was devastating, heart-breaking to lose to Iran,” he said. “We were disappointed more so that we didn’t advance in the World Cup.”

“What happened on that pitch during those two hours was a lesson to the whole world at large that despite our differences, despite the fact that we may come from different backgrounds, we can live peacefully together,” Masoudi told FIFATV in 2018.

Wales may be on the verge of exiting the World Cup but still has plenty to play for – not least against historic rival England.

The second-smallest nation in the tournament after host Qatar, Wales’ first World Cup appearance in 64 years has featured a 1-1 draw against the US and a 2-0 defeat against Iran.

The underwhelming start means Wales realistically must beat England and hope the US and Iran draw on Tuesday to qualify for the knockout stages.

But if the other Group B game doesn’t favor Rob Page’s side, a win against neighboring England would still give Welsh fans plenty of reasons to cheer.

“The history of Wales for 2,000 years is of being a nation on the western edge of the United Kingdom, cheek-by-jowl with a much larger and in many ways more powerful neighbor,” Wales’ first minister Mark Drakeford told CNN Sport about the rivalry between the two nations.

While the rugby union teams of Wales and England go head-to-head at least once a year during the Six Nations Championship, it’s less common for the two soccer teams to face each other.

You have to go all the way to 1984 for the last time Wales beat England at soccer – a period of six consecutive victories for England.

That means there’s still a lot at stake for Wales in Qatar.

“The World Cup will find itself in the front rooms of five billion people around the world; many of those people will never have heard of Wales and will only have a very small understanding of the fact that the United Kingdom is made up of four different and distinct nations,” Drakeford added.

“When Wales play England on that World Cup stage, it will be a moment when we can improve that understanding and people’s appreciation of the nature of the United Kingdom and the part that two different nations play inside it.”

Drakeford traveled to Qatar for Wales’ first World Cup game against the US. Some UK lawmakers – such as opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer – have declined to travel to Qatar given the country’s human rights record.

But Drakeford felt the historic nature of Wales’ World Cup qualification justified his appearance at the tournament.

“Whereas other nations qualify routinely for World Cup finals, it’s a rarer event for us in Wales,” he said. “In the end, my judgment was that people in Wales would not expect to see an empty seat where their government could have been represented.”

Senegal's Ismaila Sarr celebrates qualifying for the knockout stages on Tuesday.

Netherlands and Senegal both qualified for the?World Cup?knockout stages from Group A on Tuesday at Qatar 2022.

For the Netherlands, a comfortable 2 - 0 victory against host nation Qatar ensured its progression to the last 16, while Senegal earned a hard-fought 2 - 1 victory against Ecuador.

In a tense, must-win game for Senegal, the Lions of Teranga went ahead through Isma?la Sarr’s penalty before Moisés Caicedo leveled for Ecuador in the second half.

But the Africa Cup of Nations champion responded immediately as captain Kalidou Koulibaly struck home from a free-kick into the box.

It means the Netherlands and Senegal join Brazil, France and Portugal as the first five teams to qualify for the knockout stages.

Netherlands' Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay celebrate after their team's second goal against Qatar on Tuesday.

Iran?state media called for the US to be kicked out of the?2022 World Cup?after the United States Soccer Federation changed Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran.

The federation had temporarily displayed Iran’s national flag on its official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts without the emblem of the Islamic Republic. A now-deleted graphic of the Group B standings posted on Saturday displayed the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colors.

US Soccer told CNN on Sunday that it wanted to change the official flag for 24 hours to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights” but always planned to go back to the original flag.

The change “was a one-time graphic,” US Soccer told CNN. “We have the main flag on our website and other places.” The emblem is?currently back on the flag?on US Soccer’s social media channels.

A spokesperson for the State Department told CNN it did not coordinate with US Soccer in the sporting body’s decision to change Iran’s flag on its social media accounts to show support for?protesters in Iran.

To read more, click here.

A pitch invader runs across the field during the match between Portugal and Uruguay in Lusail, Qatar, on Monday.

The pitch invader who waved a rainbow flag on the field during the Portugal vs. Uruguay World Cup match on Monday has been banned from attending future matches, tournament organizers told CNN Tuesday.

The incident involving the pitch invader happened in the 51st minute of the game at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar. Iranian referee Alireza Faghani was later seen picking the flag up off the turf.

Getty photos showed the flag carrier wearing a shirt with the words “RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN” written on the back and “SAVE UKRAINE” writing on the front.

The knockout stage has already arrived for the?United States Men’s National Team?(USMNT) at the World Cup – nothing less than a win on Tuesday will suffice when it takes on?Iran?in a winner-takes-all match.

Whichever team wins will reach the round-of-16 at Qatar 2022. Unlike their previous matches with England and Wales, Team US cannot afford to let this match end in a draw — that would eliminate them from the tournament.

It will be a match charged with political tension. In the build-up to the game, Iran state media?called for the US to be kicked out of the 2022 World Cup?after US Soccer changed Iran’s flag on its social media accounts to show support for the protestors in Iran. US Soccer told CNN that it wanted to change the official flag for 24 hours to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights” but always planned to go back to the original flag.

Although the USMNT is currently ranked four places above Iran in FIFA’s World Rankings, it will be wary of its opponent who kept its own World Cup qualification hopes alive with a dramatic 2-0 win against Wales on Friday.

Meanwhile, in the other Group B match, England looks to seal its almost certain place in the knockout stages against Wales. If England defeats Wales, the USMNT would qualify in second place in the group providing it beats Iran; while if England loses, the USMNT would finish first. Finishing second would make its most likely opponent the Netherlands, while finishing first would likely draw Ecuador or Senegal.