Iran were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their opening Group G match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles.
Despite entering the tournament as favorites, Team Melli found themselves chasing the game twice as New Zealand delivered a spirited performance led by a clinical display from Elijah Just.
New Zealand stunned Iran after only seven minutes when Sarpreet Singh combined brilliantly with captain Chris Wood before Elijah Just unleashed a powerful finish into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.
The Oceania side continued to threaten, with Chris Wood and Singh causing problems for the Iranian defence, while goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand was forced into several important saves to keep the deficit at a single goal.
Iran gradually grew into the contest and nearly equalized in the 23rd minute when Mehdi Taremi struck the post after a dangerous counterattack. Moments later, Saman Ghoddos missed a golden opportunity with the New Zealand goal exposed.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 32nd minute. A flowing move involving Ramin Rezaeian, Ghoddos and Shahriar Moghanlou ended with Rezaeian racing through on goal and calmly finishing past Max Crocombe to level the score at 1-1.
Iran thought they had completed the turnaround just before halftime when Ali Nemati headed home from a set-piece delivery, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
The second half began with both sides searching for a breakthrough, but it was New Zealand who struck first again in the 55th minute. A costly turnover in midfield allowed Elijah Just to break forward, and the winger punished Iran’s defensive hesitation by firing home his second goal of the night.
The goal exposed Iran’s defensive vulnerabilities and left Amir Ghalenoei’s side facing an uphill battle once more.
However, Iran responded positively and found an equalizer in the 64th minute. Ghoddos delivered a superb pass to Rezaeian, whose pinpoint cross found Mohammad Mohebi. The forward’s effort struck the post before crossing the line to restore parity at 2-2.
The closing stages saw Iran push aggressively for a winner. Taremi, Ehsan Hajsafi and Saeid Ezatolahi all had opportunities, while New Zealand remained dangerous through Wood’s aerial presence and counterattacking threat.
Despite sustained pressure from Team Melli, neither side could find a decisive goal as the match ended in an entertaining draw.
The result leaves Iran with one point from their opening fixture, a disappointing outcome considering expectations before kickoff.
Meanwhile, New Zealand will take great confidence from earning a valuable point against one of Asia’s strongest nations and producing one of the most impressive performances in their World Cup history.
Credit Photo : FFIRI
