TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Iran were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their Group G opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium in California, the United States, on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
New Zealand made a bright start and took the lead early in the match. Chris Wood delivered a precise pass to Elijah Just, who broke through Iran's defense before calmly finishing past the goalkeeper to put the All Whites ahead 1-0.
Iran responded well and nearly found an equalizer in the 23rd minute. Mehdi Taremi unleashed a powerful strike from outside the penalty area, but his effort crashed against the post.
The pressure from Team Melli eventually paid off in the 32nd minute. Ramin Rezaeian capitalized on a loose ball inside the box and fired a shot down the middle of the goal to level the score at 1-1.
Iran appeared to have completed the comeback just before halftime when Ali Nemati found the back of the net in first-half stoppage time. However, the goal was ruled out for offside after a review by the assistant referee, leaving the score tied at 1-1 heading into the break.
Iran made their first substitution at the start of the second half, bringing on Mehdi Ghaedi for Aria Yousefi. Despite the change, New Zealand regained the lead in the 54th minute.
Chris Wood was again involved in the build-up, setting up Elijah Just for his second goal of the match. The forward kept his composure inside the penalty area and beat the goalkeeper to restore New Zealand's advantage at 2-1.
Trailing for the second time, Iran increased the intensity of their attacks and were rewarded in the 64th minute. Rezaeian delivered a cross into the area, and Mohammad Mohebi won an aerial duel before heading the ball into the net. Goalkeeper Max Crocombe was unable to stop the effort after it bounced near the left post, making it 2-2.
With the match level once again, both sides made a series of substitutions to maintain their intensity. Iran introduced Ehsan Hajsafi and Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, while New Zealand brought on Ryan Thomas, Benjamin Old, Callan Elliot, Jesse Randall, and Tyler Bindon.
Both teams continued to push for a winner in the closing stages, but neither side was able to find a decisive goal. The match ended 2-2, earning Iran and New Zealand one point each in Group G.
Belgium and Saudi Arabia Also Open With Draws
Elsewhere in Group G, Belgium were held to a 1-1 draw by Egypt at Seattle Stadium.
Egypt opened the scoring in the 19th minute through Emam Ashour, who converted a chance created by Mohamed Salah. Belgium dominated possession for much of the match and continued to press for an equalizer.
After several missed opportunities, Rudi Garcia's side finally drew level in the 66th minute. Thomas Meunier sent a cross toward Romelu Lukaku, but Egypt defender Mohamed Hany inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear the danger.
Belgium continued searching for a winning goal, but chances from Brandon Mechele and Lukaku failed to produce a breakthrough. The draw left both Belgium and Egypt with one point from their opening Group G fixture.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia also began their Group H campaign with a 1-1 draw against Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The Green Falcons delivered a disciplined performance and took the lead in the 41st minute through center-back Abdulelah Al-Amri. Saudi Arabia maintained their advantage until halftime, while Uruguay increased the pressure after the restart.
Uruguay eventually found an equalizer in the 80th minute through Maximiliano Araújo. Although Saudi Arabia were unable to hold on for the win, they still secured a valuable point against one of South America's traditional football powers.
Saudi Arabia captain Salem Al-Dawsari described the result as a positive start to the tournament, although he believed his side deserved more.
"We hope to improve on our mistakes in the next match, achieve victory, and move closer to qualification," Al-Dawsari said.
Following the opening round of matches, Belgium, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay each collected one point in their respective groups at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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