LOS ANGELES, United States — Iran came from behind on two occasions to secure a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in an entertaining FIFA World Cup Group G encounter at SoFi Stadium on Tuesday, leaving all four teams in the group level on one point after the opening round of matches.
New Zealand struck first through Elijah Just in the seventh minute after the forward finished off a move involving captain Chris Wood. Iran responded midway through the first half when Ramin Rezaeian found the net to restore parity. The Oceania side regained the lead shortly after the restart as Just completed his brace, again benefiting from Wood’s involvement in the build-up. However, Iran refused to back down, and Mohammad Mohebbi headed home in the 64th minute to earn his side a share of the points.
Okay News reports that the result followed another Group G stalemate after Belgium and Egypt also played out a draw, ensuring the section remains completely open. New Zealand came close to recording their first-ever World Cup victory, while Iran showed resilience despite a difficult build-up to the tournament. The match was played in front of more than 70,000 spectators in Los Angeles, where political tensions surrounding Iran’s participation formed part of the pre-match atmosphere.
Just emerged as one of the standout performers, becoming the first New Zealand player to score twice in a World Cup match. Wood also made history by providing assists for both goals, underlining his importance to New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages. Iran, meanwhile, relied on experience and determination to avoid defeat and remain firmly in contention ahead of their remaining group fixtures.
Speaking after the match, New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said his players would be disappointed not to have secured a historic victory but praised their overall display. Just described his two-goal performance as a memorable moment and said the team would take confidence from their opening-game showing as they prepare for tougher tests ahead.
