“USA Soccer Takes Next Step”

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Captain America, Christian Pulisic, won the game for Team USA with a huge goal.

Fullback Walker Zimmerman saved the game standing infront of an open net.

The US-World Cup team won a must-win, politically charged World Cup game over Iran on Tuesday night in Qatar.
It was a combination of grit-poise-composure-will.  Just add water

They displayed courage and toughness.  Pulisic willed his way for a goal.  His teammates carried on for their fallen leader after that.  They succeeded under the most stress you could imagine.

Coach Gregg Berhalter always preaches ‘be the most comfortable when it is the most uncomfortable’.  It was-they did.

Pulisic, growing into a super star right before our eyes, scored the only goal of the game at the 38′ mark of the first half, kicking a deflected pass into the net as he collided head on with Iran’s goalie.

Injured, and down on the pitch for almost 5-minutes with a pelvic injury, he came back on the field to finish the first half,but was taken to the hospital  for scan exams.  He hopes to play on Saturday against the Netherlands as the toureyu moves to the knockout round.

The week’s run saw Pulisic emerge from young prospect to dominant star almost overnight.  It was his picture perfect pass that led  to the first goal that led to the tie with Wales.  He was everywhere making corner kick passes, and rocketing a shot off the crossbar in what became a tie with England.

Captain America’s crashing move into the penalty area led to the game winner against Iran.  Maybe we look back as this being the biggest goal in US soccer history if this team can move on.

If Pulisic became the flag-carrier in the win, then his defensive mate Zimmerman was superb on the back-end.  He cleared out a ball infront of an open net late in the second half after goalie Matt Turner went down on the save.

Zimmerman also headed out five crossing passes in the box in the final 9-minutes of the game after the Iranians pressed forward in desperation to try and tie the game.

The stars came out all night long in the heat in Doha Stadium.  Josh Sargent, in his first start, was dominant in ball possession the entire first half, before he went down with a knee issue.

Tim Weah had a near goal on a header and a blast off the wing.  Weston McKinnie had a goal voided by an off side by a half step and continues to be dangerous playing the middle.  Goalie Matt Turner made saves in the waning minutes, including a crucial 9-minute stretch of injury time as Iran bombed him with shots.

It was a monster win fueled by Pulisic. It was an enormous team win after their star went out.  The World Cup began with just 1-player with World Cup experience, DeAndre Yelin.  By Tuesday night the rest of theat 26-man roster had grown up.

It was an emotional week too, with the international journalists trying to drag Team USA into the middle of the political issues that have spread from host Qata to the Iranian flag and its treatment of women.  The press conferences were hostile, over the line, and carried a tone of ‘I Hate America’ in them.

3-days of rest and healing for the battered Red-White and Blue now, then the knockout round with the Orange, historically tough Netherlands, a side which has never won the World Cup either.

Yes the spotlight will be on 5-time Cup winner Brazil, maybe Argentina, possibly England, or dangerous France, but this week we fly a flag for what Captain America has become, and how Team USA has rebuilt itself to capture the fancy of US soccer fans everywhere.

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