The fans smiled on the esplanade of the al thumama stadium, surrounding the metallic ‘gahfiya’ that decorates the exterior of this field located south of Doha. Some and others, regardless of the color of their outfits, intermingled naturally, some even conversing in a friendly way.. Iranians and Americans sharing space and hobby with naturalness that their leaders refuse. The iron curtain between two antagonistic worlds, melted in a soccer World Cup, a space, after all, for concord and understanding between different people, as in fact the Qatari propaganda itself proclaims.
Oh, the propaganda… So much on one side and the other that sometimes it is difficult to place the focus correctly where it should be. Also with Iran. The press gallery was overflowing with reporters from all corners of the world who did not come encouraged by the football pedigree of the contenders, rather scarce in both areas, but by the morbidity that the duel aroused, as it happened in 1998.
“Give your life for football and not kill yourself for football”, Carlos Queiroz proclaimed in the previous one. And he was right, because more than his Iran failed to correspond to his fervent and noisy fans and fell defeated against the US. The Americans advance to the round of 16, where they will face Netherlands. The Iranians end their journey through neighboring Qatar here.
A road fraught with inconveniences, of demands for silence around the anthem in the first gamecanceled in the second, already unthinkable in this Tuesday at Threats from the Ayatollahs’ regime to their soccer players and their families. Little can be blamed for these guys. They have done a lot for the pressure they had on their shoulders. Standing up for a cause, no matter how just (and that of Iran’s women’s freedom is like few others) is never free.
It was also the thumama a space for reconciliation between Iranians, their differences parked for two hours to push in one direction, also respecting the US, both at the time of the anthems and in the rest of the party. The enemy, if there is one, does not wear heeled boots. The only problem for Iran was its inability to transform the soul energy of fans and players into football.Asians always daunted by the greater American skill on the pitch.
US domain
From the first bars it was found that the balance was very unbalanced with the ball at his feet. In the middle of a deafening noise (no boos or chants of encouragement, just an unpleasant, excessive noise), The US soon seized control of the party, with Adams and McKennie acting as commanders in the midfield.. A more territorial than effective domain, beyond a couple of Weah attempts, until Pulisic hit the key.
It happened in the 38th minute, after a great opening by McKennie diagonally towards Dest’s uncheck. The full-back owned by Barça and on loan to Milan assisted with his head towards Pulisic, who came in with everything and almost left his physique in his successful attempt to score a goal. Well, in fact, he didn’t come out after the break, which was reached after a goal canceled to Weah for an offside measured in microns.
Iran can’t
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The departure of Pulisic first and McKennie somewhat later took away from the American team, which as the minutes went by began to think more about preserving the only result that would lead them to the round of 16 than consolidating their victory looking for a second goal. Some air for an Iran forced to risk, but with few arguments to reach the area and foolish to resolve in it. Neither Ghoddos nor Ezatolahi nor Karimi nor Pouraliganji knew how to hole their attempts towards Turner’s goal.
And so, with high doses of frustration, Iran’s adventure in this World Cup ended, the most intense of the 32 teams that have been participating in the Qatar event. This Tuesday was just a football game. Now it remains, for the footballers and especially for their followers, the hard return to reality his routine of unscrupulous repression. And that is a game that Iran cannot lose.