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Iran opened its politically charged World Cup by playing to a 2-2 gully with New Zealand connected Monday nighttime (June 15, 2026), overcoming 2 deficits and getting the tying extremity from Mohammad Mohebbi successful the 64th minute.
Ramin Rezaeian scored an aboriginal extremity and assisted connected Mohebbi's extremity for the Iranians, whose World Cup rhythm has been successful upheaval since the U.S. and Israel began a warfare against Iran connected February 28. Iran yet decided to vie adjacent aft FIFA rejected its request to move its 3 group-stage matches retired of the U.S.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Iran vs New Zealand HIGHLIGHTS
Iran moved its grooming basal during the tourney from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, and the squad is flying into the U.S. connected the time earlier each game, earlier returning rapidly to Mexico. Captain Mehdi Taremi acknowledged that this World Cup has been a hard acquisition containing small of the joyousness that shot represents to him and his teammates.
Iran fans observe aft the lucifer against New Zealand | Photo Credit: Reuters
Team Melli began the tourney earlier a beardown pro-Iranian assemblage astatine SoFi Stadium adjacent Los Angeles, which has the world’s largest colonisation of Iranians extracurricular Iran. While respective 100 Iranian Americans protested the authorities outside, galore fans from the diaspora jeered and turned their backs connected the tract during the nationalist anthem — but astir each appeared to enactment the Iranian players erstwhile the lucifer kicked off.
Elijah Just scored aboriginal successful each fractional for New Zealand, but Iran responded doubly to support the All Whites winless successful their World Cup history. New Zealand inactive matched its full extremity full from each of its 2 erstwhile World Cup runs portion posting an awesome effect against a squad ranked 65 places higher by FIFA.
After the raucous pregame atmosphere, New Zealand stunned the assemblage successful the seventh infinitesimal erstwhile skipper Chris Wood intercepted a extremity footwear and yet forced the shot to Just, who volleyed location a beauteous extremity successful traffic.
People question pre-revolutionary Iranian flags during a protestation extracurricular Los Angeles Stadium earlier the World Cup Group G match | Photo Credit: AP
Iran recovered its footing and equalized successful the 32nd infinitesimal erstwhile Rezaeian chipped a extremity with the extracurricular of his boot.
Just connected again successful the 54th infinitesimal with much assistance from Wood, who held up play and recovered Just for a changeable done traffic.
But Iran equalized again successful the 64th infinitesimal erstwhile Rezaeian enactment a cleanable agelong walk connected the caput of Mohebbi. Both teams had scoring chances afterward, but couldn't connect.
Players from some teams embraced and shook hands aft the last whistle, with astatine slightest 1 jersey swap occurring. While Iran manager Amir Ghalenoei sat by himself successful the dugout, his players gathered unneurotic and walked astir the tract applauding their thousands of flag-waving, roaring fans.
New Zealand's Elijah Just scores their 2nd goal | Photo Credit: Reuters
Iran is ranked 20th successful its seventh World Cup appearance, including 4 straight. Team Melli has ne'er precocious from the radical stage.
New Zealand qualified for its archetypal World Cup since 2010 contempt being the lowest-rated squad successful the field, entering astatine 85th successful the world. The All Whites seized the archetypal automatic qualifying berth for the 13-member Oceania Football Confederation aft the World Cup expanded to 48 teams.
