The United States will play the Netherlands in the World Cup. It was 1:44.
Berhalter was asked to be an economist, a customs agent, an expert on military policy and a United Nations ambassador.
He needed to be a coach who has taken his team to the knockout rounds of the World Cup.
After the USA held off Iran, Berhalter embraced his coaching staff in a group hug in the technical area, their arms wrapped around one another's shoulders as they bounced up and down. He ran onto the field to celebrate with his players and the crowd of American fans.
The biggest win of Berhalter's career came four years after he took over a program that was in disarray.
"This is the first time in 92 years that we've had two shut outs at a World Cup," Berhalter said. The boys are doing a good job.
It was a remarkable 24 hours for Berhalter, the type of incredible juxtaposition that can only happen in international soccer, and only with a match like the one the US had against Iran, a country whose history is both on its own and with the US.
The build-up was driven by that history. The U.S. Soccer Federation posted images to social media that showed Iran's flag without the Islamic Republic logo in an attempt to show support for women.
Berhalter was left to navigate it even though it was intentioned as it may have been. At his news conference Monday, Iranian journalists bombarded him with questions about why inflation might contribute to a lack of popularity for his team back home or why the United States requires visas for Iranians who want to travel there. There was a question about the US navy.
It was odd, but Berhalter did a good job of handling it. He apologized for any offense that may have been caused by the social media posts. He tried to get the attention back to soccer. At the end of a four-year resurrection, Berhalter needed to do everything he could to make sure his players were up for it.
The United States will play the Netherlands in the World Cup.
They were indeed. It is true that Berhalter has won a Gold Cup and a Nations League, but it is also true that those who follow the US team closely castigating Berhalter is a cottage industry. He has defeated Mexico in the past. He oversaw a complete roster remake of young and talented international players, made tough choices about who to bring to the World Cup, and has now led that squad to the Round of 16.
Is he a good person? The man is not. There are still reasonable criticisms to be made of his tactics and substitution patterns, but forward Joshua Sargent was called back in and delivered a strong performance against Iran, as did defender CAMERON CARTER-Vickers. Tim Ream, a late addition to the squad, was stout in defense. The USA was able to see out its lead in the end.
Berhalter pushed his players to fulfill the moment. The mismatch in emotional levels on the field was what stood out to Berhalter as he watched the US lose to Iran in the 1998 World Cup. The Americans were not like the Iranians in that they wanted the game very much.
That wasn't a problem on Tuesday. It's not even close. Certainly there was fire. There was also a belief that the moment was small.
Ream said that the team was calm. No one was breathing heavy or panicked.
The tactics were in place as well. Ream said that the goal was a result of a sequence that Berhalter and the coaches had emphasized in their scouting, a pulling of the play far to one side in order to expose the back post for the attacker. The goal was perfect, perfect, perfect, save for the collision that sent Pulisic to the hospital in the middle of the game for an abdominal Scan.
After the USMNT beat Iran, Herculez Gomez said the performance was brilliant.
It will be another challenge for Berhalter if Pulisic can't play. Either way, motivation for the group will be crucial again, as Giovanni Reyna still hasn't featured much.
Berhalter would like that. He has never shied away from the consequences of his actions. The goal of the team is to change the perception of American soccer around the world. That was aided by the game against England. Tuesday did as well.
Another chance is coming. There is another chance. Berhalter will not be defeated by the arrows. He will be the one to give the feedback. The only thing he cares about is getting his players to see what he sees. After hugging and shouting and the video call to the hospital, Berhalter came to another, more traditional news conference and reflected on what he liked the most about the night.
He said that they believed in their abilities. We believed that we were doing the right thing.
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