IR Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in their FIFA World Cup 2026™ Group G opener at Los Angeles Stadium, denying the All Whites a first World Cup victory and leaving the group tightly poised after Matchday 1.
Elijah Just struck twice for New Zealand, but goals from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi ensured Amir Ghalenoei’s side took a point from a game that swung back and forth across both halves. The result also means all four teams in Group G sit on one point after the opening round of matches.
How the 2-2 draw unfolded in Los Angeles
The match began at a lively tempo, with Mehdi Taremi testing Max Crocombe early on. New Zealand, however, were the first to turn pressure into a breakthrough. In the seventh minute, Just opened the scoring with a low, drilled finish to put the All Whites 1-0 up.
Chris Wood played a key role in the move for the opener and remained central to New Zealand’s attacking moments. Shortly after the goal, Wood found Sarpreet Singh, whose effort forced what was described as an unconvincing save from Alireza Beiranvand.
Iran responded with their own threat through Taremi, whose 20-yard strike crashed against the upright before the first hydration break. The pause appeared to shift momentum, with Iran returning with greater intent and finding an equaliser soon after.
In the 32nd minute, Rezaeian broke through the defensive line and finished calmly with the outside of his boot past Crocombe to make it 1-1, bringing Iran level and setting up a tense remainder of the first half.
New Zealand regained the lead early in the second half. Wood released Just, who produced a clipped finish over the advancing Beiranvand in the 54th minute to restore the All Whites’ advantage at 2-1.
Iran’s response was swift again. Rezaeian, now turning provider, delivered an inch-perfect cross for Mohebbi, who powered a header in off the inside of the post in the 64th minute to level the match at 2-2.
There was no further breakthrough in the closing stages. New Zealand came close to snatching the points late on, with Wood heading straight at Beiranvand in added time, but the match ended all square.
Key stat, standout performer, and what the draw means
The match produced a notable milestone for New Zealand: Just became the first New Zealand player to score more than once in a World Cup match, underlining the significance of his two-goal display even as the wait for a first tournament win continues.
Rezaeian was named Superior Player of the Match after scoring Iran’s first and assisting the second, directly shaping Iran’s ability to recover twice from losing positions.
After the final whistle, Just reflected on the moment and the point gained, saying: “It’s really special. We had a lot of goals coming in and the first was to get on the board, so one point is OK and there are a lot of positives to build on. Scoring once is something that I couldn’t have dreamed of and two [goals] is just amazing.”
In Group G, the draw leaves New Zealand and IR Iran both on one point with a goal difference of zero after a 2-2 scoreline, while Belgium and Egypt are also on one point apiece following their Matchday 1 result. New Zealand’s next Group G assignment is against Egypt on 21 June, while Iran face Belgium, with early group margins still razor-thin.