Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman makes World Cup save

The United States advanced in the FIFA World Cup, and the country has Nashville to thank for it.

Threat level: The U.S. led 1-0 in the final moments of Tuesday's must-win match against Iran when the ball slipped past goalkeeper Matt Turner and trickled toward the open net. Had Iran scored and held on for a draw, the U.S. would've been eliminated from the World Cup.

• Enter Walker freaking Zimmerman.

What happened: The Nashville SC star and Lawrenceville, Georgia, native streaked into the frame like a blue angel and cleared the ball with a big swipe of his right foot.

Why it matters: The U.S. men's national team advances to the World Cup's round of 16 for the first time since 2014.

The big picture: Tuesday was quite a redemption song for Zimmerman, who started in the first two matches but made a costly error in a game against Wales earlier in the World Cup.

• Zimmerman didn't enter Tuesday's contest until the 82nd minute — substituting in alongside Nashville SC teammate Shaq Moore — but he defended well to help the U.S. hang on for the win.
• No contribution was bigger than this, though.

What's next: With the win, the United States finished second in Group B, which pits them against the Netherlands (winners of Group A) in the knockout round of the tournament, Axios' Herb Scribner reports.

• That game is scheduled for 9am Saturday and will air on FOX.