Iran comes back twice and forces a draw against New Zealand in the 2026 World Cup

The match between Iran and New Zealand ended in a 2-2 draw, in an exciting game that witnessed clear fluctuations in the score and control, as part of the first round of the group stage in the 2026 World Cup.

The New Zealand team started the match strongly and succeeded in opening the scoring early through Elijah Just in the seventh minute, after an assist from captain Christopher Wood, giving the team an early advantage.

The Iranian team responded in the 32nd minute through Ramin Rezaeian, who equalized with a precise ground shot from inside the penalty area, bringing the "Lions of Persia" back into the match atmosphere before the end of the first half.

In the second half, Just returned to give New Zealand the lead again in the 54th minute, after finishing a quick counterattack led by Wood with a shot from the right side inside the area.

But Iran did not delay in responding, as Mohammad Mohibi succeeded in scoring the equalizer at the 64th minute, after rising to a precise cross from Rezaeian and converting it with a well-placed header to the left ground corner.

The final minutes witnessed mutual attempts from both sides, but the score remained unchanged until the final whistle, with each team earning a point at the start of their tournament journey.

This draw gives both teams an acceptable start in a group that seems open to all possibilities, especially after Egypt and Belgium drew with the same result, making the calculations of Group Seven balanced from the first round.