Can the USMNT Tie Iran And Still Get Out Of World Cup Group Stage?

The United States will compete in its final group stage match on Tuesday.

After the United States and England battled to a 0–0 draw in Qatar, World Cup fans watching around the world may be starting to wonder what comes next following Friday’s match.

The U.S. men’s national team, coming off a 1–1 draw against Wales on Monday,  turned in their first-ever World Cup scoreless draw in a match that didn’t end up having much of an impact on the group standings. Interestingly for coach Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT, the tight race developing in Group B could lead to a number of scenarios as the group stage nears it end.

With a 2–0 win over Wales earlier in the day, Iran now boasts three points and sat in a tie with England for first place until the draw. Iran’s big-time victory sets the stage for a dramatic finish for the USMNT, as the two sides will face off Tuesday in a huge match that will ultimately decide their fate.

Should the USMNT earn a win over Iran, the team would advance to the knockout stage with a total of five points. However, if the squad ends a third consecutive match in a draw or loses the match, the U.S. would be eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 2006.

With USA-England now in the books, the Group B standings now sit as follows:

1. England (4 points; plus-4 goal differential)

2. Iran (3 points; minus-2 goal differential)

3. USA (2 points; 0 goal differential)

4. Wales (1 point; minus-2 goal differential)