U.S. Men’s CP National Team Falls to Iran 3-0 in World Cup Quarterfinals

SALOU, Spain (November 17, 2024) - The U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team fell to Iran 3-0 in the 2024 IFCPF World Cup Quarterfinals Sunday afternoon. The opponents took a 1-0 lead into the break, and scored twice in the second half despite a valiant effort from USA goalkeeper Marc Estrella.

The U.S. will now play two placement matches, and has a chance to finish fifth overall. The team will first face Argentina on Tuesday, November 19 (6:30 a.m. ET; IFCPF YouTube) for a shot at the fifth-sixth place game next Thursday.

The group took a different approach to its starting seven, shifting Jacob Crumbley alongside John Sullivan and Frankie Lowery in a three-man backline in front of Marc Estrella. Ben Lindau and Wes Pincince clogged the midfield, with Nick Mayhugh the point player up top.

The compact lineup did well to contain the 2022 World Cup runners-up, though it relied on superb play from Estrella as well.

Mehdi Bakhshi nearly put Iran up early with a shot from 14 yards, but Estrella reacted quickly to his left to save the ball off the right post. Moslem Mehrabian then tested Estrella from distance but the USA goalkeeper dove to his left to keep it out.

The USA also created a few problems offensively. Mayhugh took two free kicks from around 20 yards that the Iran wall blocked. Crumbley then came close as he attacked from the back and ripped a shot just wide into the outside netting. The two then combined for the USA’s best chance, with Crumbley finding Mayhugh on a wide pass, and Nick cutting in from the left before shooting low, but goalkeeper Vahid Navvab dove to his right to keep the game scoreless.

After another excellent save from Estrella on Bakhshi, Wes Pincince blocked a shot from Bakhshi in front of goal.

However Iran would capitalize on the ensuing free kick, with Hossein Tiz Bor receiving the ball in the box and beating Estrella low to his left to put Iran up at the half.

Iran would start the second half with good chances, but again Estrella reacted well to stop Mahdi Shokoohi Movaffagh’s attempt from close range, another Bakhshi’s effort with a diving save to his right, and a fantastic foot save off a shot from Tiz Bor.

Mayhugh was well marked for most of the second half, but did manage to test Navvab with nice cut back to his right, but the Iranian goalkeeper again made a nice save.

Iran doubled its lead with 15 minutes remaining as Bakhshi dribbled past a defender from the top of the box and snuck a shot with the outside of his right from the left side to the back post as Estrella stepped out.

They added a third when Estrella’s blocked shot from Movaffagh continued towards goal and Pincince’s attempted clearance inadvertently headed it in the goal.

-U.S. MEN’S CP NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Men’s CP National Team vs. Iran
Date: Nov. 17, 2024
Competition: 2024 IFCPF World Cup – Group C
Venue: Mediterranean Sports Village; Salou, Spain
Kickoff: 13:30 p.m. local (6:30 a.m. ET)
Weather: 60 degrees, cloudy

Lineups:
USA: 1-Marc Estrella, 2-Frankie Lowery (7-Shea Hammond, 51); 3-Jacob Crumbley, 4-Wesley Pincince; 5-John Sullivan, 10-Ben Lindau (Capt.), 11-Nick Mayhugh
Substitutes not used: 6-Jacob Kaplan 8-Michael Ruiz, 9-Cameron DeLillo, 12-Chileshe Chitulangoma, 13-Kyle Montgomery, 14-Gavin Kohner
Head coach: Stuart Sharp

IRN: 1-Vahid Navvab, 3-Amir Mahdi Rahim Abadi (5- Mahdi Shokoohi Movaffagh, 27), 4-Hassan Safari (captain) (13-AmirhosseinGhorbani, 57), 7-Mehdi Bakhshi (2-Yaser Rostami, 57), 8-Hossein Tiz Bor,9-Shamseddin Shahbazikeivanani (11-AminRezaeibezminabadi, 60+1), 14-Moslem Mehrabian
Substitutes not used: 6-Benham Arandi
Head coach: Alireza Raadi

Misconduct Summary:
IRN - Hassan Safari (Caution) 4th Minute
IRN - Mehdi Bakhshi (Caution) 39

Officials:
Referee: Keith Stroud (ENG)
Second Official: Saori James (VEN)
Third Official: David Tosas (ESP)