USA v Iran was a referendum on Gregg Berhalter’s leadership. He won

The US team are through to the last-16, while enacting their coach's grand vision: youth, energy and a high-pressing possession-based style

Gregg Berhalter knows all about the magnified importance of fine margins in the World Cup. As a US defender he was denied an equalizer in the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup when a handball on the line by Germany's Torsten Frings went unpenalized. The US lost 1-0.

If Iran had shown more composure in the box on Tuesday they might have pinched the point they needed to finish above the US, and instead of looking forward to a round-of-16 tie against the Netherlands on Saturday the American head coach would have faced an uncertain future.