Iran calls to boot U.S. from World Cup

A representative of Iran’s soccer federation on Sunday called for the United States to be expelled from soccer’s World Cup over socialmedia posts that the federation claimed had “disrespected” Iran’s flag.

The United States Soccer Federation drew Iran’s ire by including a doctored Iran flag in two posts on its official social-media accounts on Saturday. A spokesperson for U.S. Soccer said the decision to use an Iranian flag stripped of the country’s official emblem and two lines of Islamic script in posts on Twitter and Instagram was intentional, and meant to show support for the women of Iran – a nod to protests that have roiled Iran at home and followed its team to the World Cup in Qatar.

Iran condemned the decision to use an incorrect flag, which it said violated the statutes of FIFA, world soccer’s global governing body.

“Respecting a nation’s flag is an accepted international practice that all other nations must emulate,” Safia Allah Faghanpour, a legal adviser to Iran’s soccer federation, said in comments reported by a semi-official state news agency in Iran. “The action conducted in relation to the Iranian flag is unethical and against international law.”

The adviser’s comments were reported by Tasnim News, whose own social-media profile includes an image of a U.S. flag in flames.

The United States and Iran are set to meet in a crucial game Tuesday that was already fraught with political overtones and high stakes: The loser, if there is one, most likely will be eliminated from the tournament.

Iran cited a specific FIFA regulation that it said called for penalties for anyone “who offends the dignity or integrity of a country, a person or group of people through contemptuous, discriminatory or derogatory words or actions (by any means whatsoever).”

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the dispute, and it is unlikely to intervene during the tournament.

RONALDO GETS REMATCH WITH URUGUAY

Ronaldo gets his rematch four years after Uruguay knocked his Portugal team out of the World Cup. The match Monday gives Cristiano Ronaldo a chance to avenge Portugal’s loss in the round of 16 to Uruguay in 2018, even if it doesn’t carry the same stakes. Uruguay’s 2-1 win in Russia knocked Portugal out of the World Cup, and the most Monday’s group stage match can do for Portugal is advance Ronaldo into the last 16 for the fourth time in his career. Ronaldo has been at the center of attention in Qatar, where he arrived for what is expected to be his final World Cup seeking personal and national history. He became the first player to score in five World Cups in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana in his first match, and very much wants to lead his national team to its first title. Portugal has never won the World Cup, and Ronaldo has never taken his team past the semi-finals. Portugal and Uruguay have played three times prior, but the 2018 meeting was their only match in recent years. Portugal won 3-0 in 1966 and the teams played to a 1-1 draw – both friendlies. Now it’s a matchup of long-time rivals – Ronaldo from his days playing for Real Madrid against Luis Suarez from his time at Barcelona.

BIGGEST CROWD IN 28 YEARS SEES MESSI PLAY

LUSAIL, QATAR Lionel Messi played in front of 88,966 spectators on Saturday when Argentina beat Mexico 2-0, the largest attendance at a World Cup match in 28 years. The Lusail Stadium north of Doha, which will stage the final on Dec. 18, hosted the most people at the World Cup since the 1994 final in the United States, according to FIFA. There were 91,194 people at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., to see Brazil beat Italy in that penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.

BRAZIL’S BOASTS DEEP LINEUP

There’s no Neymar for Brazil in Monday’s game against Switzerland as the star player is nursing an ankle injury suffered in the 2-0 opening match win over Serbia. Brazil teammate Marquinhos said Neymar is working “24 hours a day” to try to get back on the field, but team doctors have given no timetable for his return. “He is sleeping in physiotherapy, 24 hours a day,” Marquinhos said. The workload should fall to Richarlison, who scored both goals in the win against Serbia. Richarlison has scored nine goals in his past seven appearances for Brazil, and against Serbia became the eighth Brazilian to score a pair of goals in his World Cup debut, and the first since Neymar in 2014. Brazil actually has quite a deep roster as it seeks a sixth World Cup title and its first in two decades, with Vinicius Junior, Raphinha and Rodrygo all ready to play against Switzerland.

BOTH CAMEROON AND SERBIA COULD BOW OUT

Cameroon and Serbia both lost opening matches to set up a pivotal Group G match. Serbia lost 2-0 to Brazil on a miserable night in which it didn’t get a single shot on goal for its first loss in seven matches. Cameroon narrowly fell 1-0 to Switzerland and hasn’t won in five consecutive matches. A loss for either team – combined with a draw between Brazil and Switzerland – could send both Cameroon and Serbia to the final group stage game with nothing to play for at the World Cup.

GHANA NEEDS WIN AGAINST SOUTH KOREA

Ghana is in danger of elimination in its match against South Korea on Monday despite a decent showing against Portugal. Ghana scored twice against Portugal, but a loss to South Korea will make it difficult to advance out of Group H.