England set up Senegal clash
Marcus Rashford believes the best is yet to come from England at the World Cup after cruising into the last 16 with a 3-0 win over Wales on Tuesday while Christian Pulisic fired the United States into the last 16 as the Americans downed Iran 1-0 in their politically charged grudge match.
Rashford scored twice to move into a group of four players level on three goals in the race for the Golden Boot. Phil Foden was also on target as the Three Lions set up a last 16 clash with Senegal on Sunday.
"This is what I play football for, the biggest moments, the best moments," Rashford, who has experienced a huge upturn in form for club and country this season, told the BBC. "I'm really happy today that we're going through to the next round. I have massive ambition for this team and think we can play even better than we showed today."
England are the tournament's top scorers with nine goals despite drawing their second group game against the United States 0-0. Rashford was one of four changes made by Gareth Southgate from that match and said the squad were keen to make amends from a lacklustre performance.
"We were a little bit disappointed as a team after the last game against the USA. I thought we could've played a lot better and the only way to bounce back is to have a good performance in the next game and we did that," added Rashford.
"First half we defended brilliantly, didn't give them any opportunities, and it was just about us killing the game off and taking the chances when they came."
In the other match, Chelsea star Pulisic bundled home the do-or-die Group B game's only goal on 38 minutes to set up a second round clash with Group A winners the Netherlands on Saturday.
The victory was no less than US coach Gregg Berhalter's youthful side deserved in what was only the third international football clash between the bitter ideological rivals.
The build-up to a pulsating showdown had been marked by steadily escalating tension, with Iran's Football Federation on Sunday demanding FIFA sanction US Soccer for posting a modified version of their country's flag on social media.
But despite an electrifying atmosphere at Doha's Al Thumama Stadium, Tuesday's game played out without controversy as the US avenged their 1998 World Cup defeat to Iran to send the Asian qualifiers crashing out of the tournament.
Iran's fans had roared their team onto the field at the start of the game amid a deafening cacophony of air-horns and cheers from the crowd of 42,127.
But despite the intimidating reception it was the Americans who looked more comfortable, quickly establishing their dominance.
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