Iran showed impressive resilience as they came from behind twice to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their opening Group G match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
New Zealand made a bright start and took the lead through Elijah Just, who continued his outstanding form by finding the net early in the contest. Iran responded before halftime when experienced defender Ramin Rezaeian scored the equaliser, ensuring the teams went into the break level.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Just struck again to restore New Zealand's advantage, becoming the first New Zealand player to score twice in a World Cup match. However, Iran refused to back down and found another response through Mohammad Mohebi, whose goal in the 64th minute brought Team Melli back into the game at 2-2.
Both sides created opportunities to win the match in an entertaining end-to-end encounter. Iran finished with more overall attempts, while New Zealand looked dangerous on the counterattack and made the most of their chances on target. Despite late pressure from both teams, neither side could find a decisive winner.
The match was played amid a charged atmosphere, with large crowds in attendance and significant attention surrounding Iran's participation in the tournament. Nevertheless, the players remained focused on football and produced one of the most exciting matches of the competition so far.
The result leaves Group G finely balanced after Belgium and Egypt also played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the day. As a consequence, all four teams in the group sit on one point after their opening matches, setting up a fascinating battle for qualification to the knockout rounds. Iran will next face Belgium, while New Zealand take on Egypt in their second group-stage fixtures.
