Last 16 joy for Carter-Vickers as he sets up van Dijk clash
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group B - Iran v United States - Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, Qatar - November 29, 2022 Iran's Ahmad Noorollahi in action with Matt Turner of the U.S. and Cameron Carter-Vickers REUTERS/Susana Vera
Cameron Carter-Vickers reproduced his Celtic form to help the USA to a 1-0 win over Iran and into a last 16 clash against Holland on Saturday.
After sitting out the opening two group games the hoops defender was called in for tonight’s emotionally charged clash with only a win good enough for Gregg Berhalter’s side.
The build up to the match had been overwhelmed by political overtones with the two nations repeating their 1998 clash at the World Cup Finals in France.
Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic scored the only goal of the game in the 38th minute when he converted from close range after the Iranian defence had been opened up by a diagonal ball down the right wing.
An equaliser would have taken Iran through alongside group winners England by Carter-Vickers stood tall in defence to set up a clash with Virgil van Dijk’s side on Saturday for a place in the last eight.