FIFA WC 2026: Iran hold New Zealand to 2-2 draw in Group G thriller
Los Angeles, June 16
Iran denied New Zealand a first FIFA World Cup win after twice battling back for a 2-2 draw in their opening Group G match here at Los Angeles Stadium on Monday.
There were key contributions from Ramin Rezaeian, who scored Team Melli's opener and crafted their leveller. For New Zealand, an Elijah Just brace, via a pair of Chris Wood assists, twice had the All Whites in front before they ultimately had to settle for a point.
After Mehdi Taremi forced a save from Max Crocombe in a lively start, Elijah Just scored a low, powerful goal to put New Zealand ahead. Chris Wood set up the opening goal and almost created another moments later when he passed to Sarpreet Singh, whose shot forced an uneasy save from Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.
Iran fought back through Taremi, whose 20-yard shot hit the post just before the first water break. The break helped Iran, as they returned to the pitch with more energy and quickly scored an equaliser. Rezaeian broke through the defensive line and calmly finished with the outside of his boot past Crocombe, bringing the score to 1-1.
New Zealand restored their advantage early in the second half when Wood released Just for a clipped finish over the advancing Beiranvand.
However, Iran did not stay behind for long. Rezaeian, who scored the earlier goal, turned provider by sending in a perfect cross to Mohammad Mohebbi, who headed the ball powerfully into the net off the post. Neither team could find a winner in the final minutes, with Chris Wood heading the ball straight at the goalkeeper in stoppage time.
New Zealand's bid for a first World Cup victory rolls on to their next Group G assignment against Egypt on June 22. Iran, meanwhile, faces Belgium.
An end-to-end clash in Los Angeles has seen the fourth consecutive draw of a day that began with Cabo Verde holding the might of Spain.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As an Indian football fan, I'm just happy to see Asian teams doing well on the world stage. Iran's resilience is something we can learn from. Rezaeian was absolutely brilliant today - goal and assist. Hope they can pull off an upset against Belgium!
Great effort from the All Whites but they'll be kicking themselves for not holding the lead. Chris Wood is a class act with those assists. That water break timing really changed the momentum in the first half. Still, exciting tournament so far with all these draws!
Loving the World Cup already! Iran's fighting spirit reminds me of Indian cricket team's comebacks - never say die attitude 💪. Taremi hitting the post was unlucky, but Rezaeian showed real quality. Fourth draw of the day shows how competitive football has become globally.
Not the most polished performance from Iran but full marks for character. Defensively they looked shaky at times - giving up two goals from the same combination of Wood to Just is concerning. Still, a point against a decent New Zealand side is decent. Belgium will be a different beast altogether.
As someone who follows Indian football closely, I'm really encouraged by how Asian teams are competing. Iran's never-say-die attitude is something our Blue Tigers need to emulate. Rezaeian's outside-of-the-boot finish was pure class! 🎯
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