U.S. Has Clear World Cup Task Against Iran

DOHA, Qatar (AP) – The task is clear for the United States: beat Iran in a politically charged World Cup match or go home. A draw or a loss Tuesday night would eliminate the Americans. During unusual pre-match news conferences, captain Tyler Adams was asked to defend the U.S.’s treatment of Black people and chastized for pronoucing the opponent “Eye-ran” instead of “E-ran.” American coach Gregg Berhalter was questioned about U.S. immigration and Naval policy and apologized for the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision to strip the emblem of the Islamic Republic from Iran’s flag on social media.