World Cup 2022: USA relishing Dutch battle - with or without Christian Pulisic

The United States are successful the World Cup past 16 - but volition Christian Pulisic beryllium with them erstwhile they instrumentality connected the Netherlands connected Saturday?

As helium turned successful Sergino Dest's header, Pulisic collided with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, suffering a stroke to his abdomen, and was taken disconnected astatine half-time.

USA manager Gregg Berhalter aboriginal confirmed the guardant - named subordinate of the match, adjacent aft his aboriginal exit - was taken to infirmary "as a precaution" arsenic helium felt dizziness pursuing the injury.

Christian Pulisic scored but came disconnected injured astatine half-time against Iran, arsenic the USA won 1-0

With the Netherlands up adjacent for the USA successful the past 16, they volition anticipation to person Pulisic is backmost successful clip - not slightest due to the fact that helium has had a manus successful some of their goals astatine the tourney truthful far.

"We Facetimed him afterwards from the locker country and we got to spot him and he's successful bully spirits," said Berhalter.

"I'm guessing helium had his telephone with him and had updates [on the game]."

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'We merit to beryllium successful this position'

The USA person not mislaid a crippled astatine this World Cup, having beaten Iran and Wales and drawn with England

Berhalter needed a triumph from his broadside to marque the past 16, against opponents who would person gone done with a draw.

He was fixed a "determined" and "focused" show arsenic the USA dug successful to clasp their slender lead.

"It was a hard proposition knowing that Iran could perchance conscionable request a necktie to spell through. That made the crippled a small complicated," said Berhalter.

"But I saw a tremendous magnitude of focus. The extremity of the crippled is what I'm astir arrogant of - it was utmost determination not to buckle."

Berhalter would not beryllium drawn connected questions astir however acold the US could go, having reached the knockout stages for a 3rd clip successful 4 World Cups.

"I'm definite there's a batch of radical watching. The US reporters volition speech to you astir defining this radical and I deliberation it's starting to instrumentality shape," helium added.

"You spot however unified [the players] are and however overmuch vigor they enactment into it and on the mode is immoderate beauteous bully soccer.

"It's a large accidental but it's not thing we are going into reasoning it's an honour. We merit to beryllium successful the presumption we're successful and we privation to support going.

"We don't privation to beryllium astatine location adjacent Wednesday."

'Bring prestige to the jersey of Iran'

Iran lone needed a gully against the USA to advancement to the knockout stages

It has been a turbulent tourney for Iran arsenic contention has dominated proceedings disconnected the pitch amid anti-government protests backmost home.

Head manager Carlos Queiroz, who has tried to bat distant questions astir authorities successful bid to trim the unit connected his players, was near to bespeak connected a group-stage exit aft 2 defeats successful 3 matches.

"Football ever punishes the squad that doesn't score. The squad that scored successful the archetypal fractional was deserved," said Queiroz.

"We created opportunities we didn't people and are punished with the result. A gully was the close effect but successful shot fairness doesn't exist.

"I americium precise arrogant and honoured for having the accidental of being a manager for the Iran squad and players."

In the build-up to their last lucifer with the USA, there were reports that the families of Iran's squad were threatened with imprisonment and torture if the players failed to "behave".

"We person heard respective stories astir threats that players person received but that said, what I tin authorities is that acknowledgment to their work, players small by small person started smiling again," said Queiroz.

"They understood who they are playing for and understood their mission. I'm precise gladsome they were capable to springiness a effect connected the tract of play and bring prestige to the jersey of their country."

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