This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Charles Curtis is filling in for Andy Nesbitt.
I and everyone else woke up to a stunning result in the 2022 World Cup: Iran scored two goals in stoppage time to stun Wales 2-0. That came after Iran had given up six goals to England in their respective opening match in Qatar.
This sets up an intriguing scenario for USMNT, who face England in what should have been a must-watch match later on Friday.
Instead? It’s the match AFTER this one that’s going to be one to watch.
England is probably the top team in Group B, between the goal differential tiebreaker and the fact that they can beat USMNT or at least tie. Let’s assume either of those scenarios happens on Friday.
That would mean the last match in the group stage for USMNT would be against Iran on Tuesday. And with Iran totaling three points so far thanks to the win over Wales, USMNT would have to win to move on to the knockout rounds.
This has soccer fans on Twitter trying to figure out how the team should then approach the England game. For one, the yellow card rules when it comes to suspensions come into play here. Maybe the United States should sit its key players who have a yellow card already so that they’re not suspended for the VITAL game against Iran.
If you’re complaining that it sets up for a mostly meaningless match against England? OK fine, but this is how it is. USMNT has to play the hand its dealt. And hey, maybe the team finds a way to dig out a win against England!
But the odds are very much against it. So play it smart and think ahead.
Quick hits: A whack-a-mole TD celebration! … An announcer jinx! … A dizzying halftime show! … and more.
— This Cowboys whack-a-mole TD celebration was perfect.
— Jim Nantz jinxed the Lions kicker after talking about announcer jinxes.
— Bebe Rexha’s halftime show for Bills-Lions made everyone dizzy.