Iran overcame both political and footballing hurdles to snatch a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite being forced to travel from Mexico to play in the USA, the Iranians let their boots do the talking. They twice were battled back to gain a draw before making their return flight back to Mexico, where they are forced to be based throughout their ongoing campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Striker Elijah Just scored both New Zealand goals but the Oceania side were denied their first FIFA World Cup win by strikes from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iran got off to a fast start but were stunned by an early New Zealand goal on the counter created by veteran striker Chris Wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collecting a long pass in the seventh minute, the Nottingham Forest target man expertly held up the ball, turned and played in the onrushing Just.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a sharp exchange of passes with Sarpreet Singh and Wood, Just leapt and smashed a volley into the net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iran’s star forward Mehdi Taremi nearly levelled in the 23rd minute, the former Inter Milan man’s long-range effort ricocheting off the right post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New Zealand retook the lead in the 55th minute. Motherwell striker Just bagged a brace via a crisp one-two with Wood, after Liberato Cacace had stolen the ball on the halfway line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But they were again pegged back nine minutes later, as Mohebi’s leaping header from Rezaeian’s superb cross glanced off the inside post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The game’s final half hour saw Iran on the front foot, but unable to grab a winner due to a combination of wayward finishing and dogged New Zealand defending.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Iran overcame both political and footballing hurdles to snatch a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[430],"tags":[276,63],"class_list":["post-13862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","tag-fifa","tag-football"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t