[2] During a delicately choreographed pregame ceremony, the Iranian players gifted white roses to their American opponents as a symbol of peace.

Assistant referees: Laurent Rausisi (Switzerland) Nicolae Grigorescu (Romania) Fourth official: Lucien Bouchardeau (Niger) A major upset, the match was described by The New York Times as a "historic victory" for Iran.

Although the Iranian government took steps to rein in celebrations after the countrywide uproar when Iran qualified for the World Cup, thousands of fans publicly reveled in Tehran, including women without headscarves.

[5] The resignation of Sampson has been partially attributed to the match, as some American players alleged that poor team management led to the loss.

"[3] Eighteen months later, the teams played a friendly match at Pasadena just outside of Los Angeles, home to the largest population of Iranian Americans outside Iran.