Iran
New ZealandThe match unfolded in four distinct acts: Just opened in the 7th minute, Rezaeian levelled in the 32nd, Just struck again in the 54th to complete his brace, and Mohebbi's header in the 64th completed Iran's second comeback. Both teams created their best moments on the counter-attack and neither defence was truly dominant across the 90 minutes — the 2-2 scoreline was an honest reflection of a match where New Zealand's directness and Iran's resilience were genuinely matched. All four Group G sides now share one point, making every remaining fixture a potential group-defining encounter.
Iran
Iran opened their Group G campaign with remarkable resilience, coming from behind twice in circumstances that would have broken a lesser team — their training relocation to Mexico and 11 non-playing officials blocked from entering the United States formed a backdrop of extraordinary political pressure. Ramin Rezaeian's equalising goal in the 32nd minute and Mohammad Mohebbi's decisive header off the post in the 64th showed that their technical quality under pressure remains genuinely high. Taremi was a constant physical threat up front throughout, and the 2-2 is a point earned through character as much as football ability.
New Zealand
New Zealand delivered one of the tournament's early upsets in all but the scoreline, leading twice against a higher-ranked side through Elijah Just's brace at SoFi Stadium. The Motherwell forward's 7th-minute opener and composed 54th-minute finish were the kind of goals that justify a tournament's existence — technically sharp and taken with real confidence for a side not expected to threaten much in Group G. Despite Ryan Thomas's ongoing absence limiting creative depth, the All Whites defended with enough organisation to make Iran work hard for each equaliser and earned a point that leaves Group G entirely open.