Even considering the stakes involved, one leaves the impression that there was an air of routine about this game compared to the United States’ previous World Cup matches. Everything was fresh and new for the entire World Cup held on the first day with multiple matches. Exciting, the crowd was rowdy and the performance he ended in a 1-1 draw.
England on Black Friday felt like a big opportunity for very obvious reasons. The US performance matched its hype, even if the scoreline didn’t. And the pressure-filled finale against Iran will forever be remembered for the loud, pro-Iranian crowd and the fiery 9 minutes and 53 seconds that closed out the match, resulting in the United States advancing out of the group.
By that standard, the contest felt like almost nothing, not a do-or-die match in the knockout rounds of the World Cup. No, or maybe it was the relative lack of travel support from Dutch and US fans. Maybe all of it.
But in the end, America’s World Cup ended in a riot.
(Photo: Getty Images)
