Wales and the USA knew they couldn't afford to lose their respective games in Al Rayyan after England destroyed Iran, and a 1-1 draw was the most frequently predicted result going into the contest. Wales was fortunate to still be in the game at the end of the first half because neither team really played as though they were content with a point. The Dragons wasted a couple of opportunities in the second half before Gareth Bale converted a penalty kick to score his first World Cup goal. Wales' top player may not have been at his commanding best, but his assured shot from 12 yards has put Wales in a position where, if they can defeat Iran, their destiny will be in their own hands. Robert Page's team is currently winless in six games and has only triumphed once in nine contests, despite the fact that the draw is often viewed as a point earned.

Form didn't matter much as Iran was completely overwhelmed by England, Carlos Queiroz's team looked like a shell of the group that had previously defeated Uruguay and Senegal in September with victories and draws. To their credit, Team Melli never gave up and managed to score two consolation goals in the last period, the second of which was a highly contentious penalty decision based on the threshold that had been applied earlier in the game. Mehdi Taremi's two goals showed his offensive danger, while Sardar Azmoun's appearance as a substitute after suffering an injury would further boost Iran's confidence going into this match. Iran has not scored more than twice in a game in nine attempts despite the presence of the aforementioned pair, which is excellent as they aim to lessen their negative differential.

scores: Wales 1vs Iran 2

(image:Khel Now)