Iran Fights Back Twice in Thrilling 2-2 Draw with New Zealand to Open World Cup Campaign

A politically charged and dramatic 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G opener saw Iran battle back twice to earn a 2-2 draw with underdogs New Zealand at a raucous SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. An announced crowd of 70,108 watched New Zealand's Elijah Just score a brace, but his efforts were canceled out by Iranian strikes from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi, leaving the group wide open after the first round of matches .

The result, combined with a 1-1 draw between Belgium and Egypt earlier in the day, means all four teams in Group G begin their campaigns locked on a single point .

A Tumultuous Backdrop for Iran

The match carried weight beyond the pitch. Iran’s head coach publicly lamented the travel restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles his squad faced in the lead-up to the match, framing the performance as a testament to his players' resilience . That tension translated into an emotional and fiercely contested game, with Iran enjoying vociferous support from a large contingent of fans in Los Angeles .

How the Game Unfolded

Both sides contributed to an attacking spectacle, with all four goals stemming from well-worked moves .

First Half: Just Strikes First, Rezaeian Responds

New Zealand, ranked 85th in the world and the tournament’s lowest-seeded qualifier, stunned the pro-Iran crowd after only seven minutes. A flowing move involving captain Chris Wood was finished clinically by Motherwell forward Elijah Just, putting the All Whites 1-0 ahead against the run of play .

Iran, ranked 21st, controlled much of the possession and created the better chances after the early setback . The equalizer arrived in the 32nd minute when substitute Shahriar Moghanlou found Ramin Rezaeian, who produced a sublime chipped finish to level the score at 1-1 .

Team Melli thought they had taken the lead just before halftime, but the goal was disallowed for offside, leaving the match poised at 1-1 at the break .

Second Half: A Second Lead and a Final Answer

New Zealand emerged from the interval reorganized and retook the lead nine minutes into the second half. The combination of Wood and Just proved lethal once more, as the veteran striker set up Just for his second goal of the night in the 54th minute, restoring the Kiwis' advantage at 2-1 .

Iran’s response was swift. The pressure paid off in the 64th minute when goalscorer Rezaeian turned provider, delivering an inch-perfect cross that Mohammad Mohebi headed home to make it 2-2 . The final stages saw both teams push for a winner, with a flurry of chances in stoppage time that ultimately failed to break the deadlock .

Key Match Events

• 7' — Goal, New Zealand (Just) – A sweeping move ends with Elijah Just finishing past Alireza Beiranvand. Iran 0-1 New Zealand .
• 32' — Goal, Iran (Rezaeian) – Ramin Rezaeian’s delicate chip pulls Iran level. Iran 1-1 New Zealand .
• 45'+5' — Disallowed Goal, Iran – Ali Nemati is flagged for offside, preventing Iran from taking a halftime lead .
• 54' — Goal, New Zealand (Just) – Chris Wood links up with Just again, and the forward scores his second. Iran 1-2 New Zealand .
• 64' — Goal, Iran (Mohebi) – Rezaeian’s cross finds the head of Mohammad Mohebi for the final equalizer. Iran 2-2 New Zealand .

Starting Lineups and Substitutions

The confirmed starting XIs and in-game changes for both teams were as follows :

Iran (4-1-4-1)
Alireza Beiranvand (GK); Ramin Rezaeian, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi; Saeid Ezatolahi; Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Saman Ghoddos (↓65'), Mehdi Taremi (↓80'), Mehdi Ghayedi (↑46'); Shahriar Moghanlou (↓53').

Substitutions: Mehdi Ghayedi for A. Yousefi (46'), A. Alipourghara for Shahriar Moghanlou (53'), Ehsan Hajsafi for Saman Ghoddos (65'), A. Hosseinzadeh for Mehdi Taremi (80') .

New Zealand (4-3-3)
Max Crocombe (GK); Liberato Cacace (↓68'), Tommy Smith, Nando Pijnaker, Tim Payne (↓78'); Joe Bell, Marko Stamenić (↓90'+2), Matthew Garbett; Elijah Just, Chris Wood (↓78'), Ryan Thomas (↓68').

Substitutions: Ben Old for Liberato Cacace (68'), R. Thomas for C. McCowatt (68'), C. Elliot for Tim Payne (78'), J. Randall for S. Singh (90'+2), T. Bindon for Marko Stamenić (90'+2) .

The drawn result sets up a tense battle in Group G, with everything left to play for as the tournament continues.