Until this duel (8:00 p.m.), the selections of the two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations, have only faced each other twice in the history of football.

If a draw in a friendly in 2000 (1-1) was forgotten as quickly as played, the other opposition remains in the memories: the "match of fraternity", won during the World Cup-1998 in France by Iran 2 to 1 in an incandescent atmosphere in Lyon.

Played in a context of thaw between the West and the Islamic Republic, a year after the election as president of the moderate Mohammad Khatami, the meeting had been the occasion for gestures of fraternization between the two teams which had mixed for pose together in the official photo of the match, offering flowers and pennants.

The context is much more tense this year, against the backdrop of the unprecedented protest movement bloodily repressed by the Islamic regime.

Relentlessly scrutinized

Iranian players play their World Cup scrutinized by the whole world, without football having much to do with this heavy curiosity.

Before each of their first two meetings, they had to answer the same questions, sometimes very insistently asked by the Western media.

Will they refrain from singing their anthem to signify their support for the demonstrators as they did against England but not against the Welsh?

Will they celebrate their goals?

Will they make symbolic gestures to denounce the repression?

Several players, including star Sardar Azmoun, one of the heroes of the victory against Wales in the previous match (2-0), denounced the repression on social networks.

But many supporters of the demonstrators criticize Team Melli for its attitude, such as when it was received by the ultra-conservative president Ebrahim Raissi before his departure for Doha.

United States coach Gregg Berhalter gives a press conference before the FIFA World Cup match against Iran on November 28, 2022 in Doha Patrick T. Fallon AFP

Other highly commented images, those of the police ostensibly celebrating the victory against the Welsh, which was greeted by a tweet from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Believing that his players are stuck in a situation where no matter what they do, they will be blamed, their Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz seems to have accepted the role of lightning rod for criticism and tried to reduce the game to its only dimension athletic.

It is considerable: a draw could be enough to ensure Iran the first qualification in its history in the round of 16 of a World Cup, for its sixth participation.

But the United States, which absolutely needs a victory to pass this round, brought geopolitics back into the pre-match debates.

World Cup 2022: Iran vs USA Sabrina BLANCHARD AFP

On its Twitter account, Team USA removed the symbol of the Islamic Republic from the Iranian flag used to announce the game, a "one-time gesture to show our solidarity with women in Iran".

The official flag was then handed over.

"We don't care about what's going on away from home, and the only thing we can do is apologize on behalf of the players and management. We didn't take part in that. “, underlined, about the affair of the flag, the coach Gregg Berhalter.

British poster

In the same group, the other match, played at the same time, offers a British poster, with England in the role of the big favorite against Wales.

The first are almost qualified and will finish first in the group if they win.

The Welsh need a miracle to extend their stay.

In Group A, Qatar, the host country, is eliminated, and its Dutch opponent, undefeated for 17 games, will have victory as its only objective in order to ensure not only qualification but also first place (4:00 p.m.).

World Cup 2022: Wales vs England Sabrina BLANCHARD AFP

If that should be the case, which seems the most likely scenario, Ecuador and Senegal will fight for the second ticket.

The South Americans only need a draw but remain suspended on the fate of their providential striker, Enner Valencia, who scored all three goals for his team against Qatar (2-0) and the Netherlands (1 -1) but went out injured at the end of this match.

Arrived full of optimism and dreams of glory, the African champions will have to win.

A premature return to Dakar would be a terrible disappointment for Aliou Cissé's team.

© 2022 AFP