FIFA WC: Iran left sweating on fate after dramatic draw with Egypt
Seattle, June 27
Iran were left anxiously waiting to discover whether they had done enough to reach the FIFA World Cup knockout stage after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Egypt, in which a stoppage-time winner was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Already guaranteed qualification, Egypt finished second in Group G on five points behind Belgium on goal difference and will face Australia in the Round of 32 in Dallas on July 3.
Iran ended third with three points and will now wait to see if they can progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams. There was an early flurry of life to the fixture as Egypt took the lead inside five minutes. The move was started by Mohamed Salah but Mahmoud Saber's shot slipped through the fingers of Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.
Iran reacted immediately and were awarded a penalty when Mehdi Taremi was chopped down, but goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir dived the right way to deny the striker. Shobeir then made another fine save but Ramin Rezaeian drove home the rebound from a tight angle in the 14th minute.
Egypt, already through, sat back after the first-half water break and Iran gradually took control of a scrappy contest with few clear-cut chances after the manic opening. The drama returned in the last moments. Taremi's header hit the crossbar before Shoja Khalilzadeh smashed the ball home in the third minute of stoppage time, sending the Iranian bench into wild celebration as they spilled onto the pitch believing they had secured a famous victory.
However, VAR intervened and ruled Khalilzadeh marginally offside, crushing Iran's celebrations and ensuring their World Cup fate was no longer in their own hands.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Egypt were already through but they didn't take their foot off the pedal. That's professionalism. Iran's defence was decent but their finishing left a lot to be desired. Beiranvand's howler for the goal was unfortunate—he's usually so reliable. Middle Eastern football is rising, but we need more consistency. Also, VAR is a blessing and a curse. Today it was a curse for Iran. 😤
That late disallowed goal must have been absolutely devastating. I remember watching India's friendly matches where we thought we had a winner and it got chalked off—such agony! Iran's players were crying on the pitch. The margins at this level are so thin. One offside call and your whole tournament changes. Egypt's goalie Shobeir had a brilliant game too.
Really felt for the Iranian players. That 5-minute burst at the start was crazy—penalty missed, goal conceded then quickly equalised. VAR crushed their dreams. As someone who's followed World Cups since 2002, I hate how much drama VAR creates in Asian teams' games. However, Egypt fully deserved second place; they were solid at the back. Australia's next match should be interesting. 🇦🇺
I'm disappointed with Iran's approach. They needed to win but played too cautiously after equalising. Against a team already qualified, you should be taking risks and pressing high. Instead, they let Egypt settle. Yes, VAR was cruel, but they didn't create enough chances earlier. As an Indian, I want Asian teams to progress, but we need smarter tactics, not just heart. Still, wishing them luck for the best-third-place verdict. ✨
M We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.