Iran twice came from behind to rescue a thrilling 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G opener, leaving the All Whites still searching for their first-ever victory at the tournament.
Despite entering the competition as the lowest-ranked team and major underdogs, New Zealand produced a fearless performance and twice led against one of Asia’s strongest football nations.
The All Whites made a dream start, taking the lead inside seven minutes through a stunning finish from Elijah Just.
Chris Wood showed his quality by controlling a long pass before combining with Sarpreet Singh and then Just.
The Motherwell forward completed a brilliant move by lifting the ball before smashing an unstoppable volley into the net to send New Zealand supporters into celebration.
Iran responded strongly and came close to equalising when Mehdi Taremi produced a brilliant individual run from halfway, only to see his powerful effort from outside the box crash against the post.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 32nd minute. Shahriyar Moghanlou’s effort was blocked inside the area, but Ramin Rezaeian reacted quickest to fire home the loose ball and bring Iran level.
Iran thought they had completed the turnaround in first-half stoppage time when Ali Nemati headed in from a free-kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The second half began with Iran pushing forward, but New Zealand once again showed their threat on the counterattack.
The All Whites restored their lead in the 54th minute through another excellent combination between Just and Wood.
Just drove into the Iranian defence before playing a one-two with the Nottingham Forest striker and calmly finishing past Alireza Beiranvand.
However, Iran’s trademark resilience returned once again. Amir Ghalenoei’s side, who have developed a reputation for scoring after half-time, levelled the contest for a second time just 10 minutes later.
Mohammad Mohebi found himself unmarked in the penalty area and powered a header beyond the New Zealand goalkeeper after Rezaeian delivered an excellent cross.
The final stages saw both teams search for a winner, but neither could find the decisive moment in a match full of attacking quality and drama.
The draw leaves New Zealand still without a World Cup victory after seven appearances (D4, L3), but their performance against Iran will provide confidence ahead of their next match against Egypt.
Iran, meanwhile, demonstrated character by twice recovering from setbacks and will now prepare for a difficult Group G clash against Belgium as they continue their search for a first-ever knockout-stage appearance at their seventh World Cup finals.
