Iran showed resilience on and off the pitch as Team Melli twice fought back to earn a politically charged 2-2 draw against New Zealand. FIFA World Cup Monday night opener.Mohamed Mohibi’s 64th-minute equalizer sparked a spirited comeback for the Asian side, who faced the most tumultuous build-up to the tournament after Iran, the United States and Israel battled it out.Playing in front of a rousing pro-Iranian crowd at Sophie Stadium near Los Angeles, Iran overcame deficits on two occasions to earn a point against a New Zealand side making their first World Cup appearance since 2010.
New Zealand attacked first but Iran counter-attacked.
The All Whites stunned the huge Iranian crowd inside the stadium in just the seventh minute. Captain Chris Wood blocked a goal kick and, after making it into the final third, found Elijah Just, who volleyed brilliantly through traffic to give New Zealand an early lead.Iran gradually settled down and found a reply in the 32nd minute through veteran defender Ramin Rezaian. The right-back produced a moment of quality, delicately tucking the ball in with the outside of his boot to bring Team Melli level.New Zealand took the lead nine minutes after the restart. Wood again played the role of provider, retaining possession before releasing Just, whose strike found its way into the crowded penalty area for his second goal of the night.But Iran refused to surrender. In the 64th minute, Rezaian turned creator, sending a long ball over the head of Moheibi, who made no mistake to restore parity.Both sides had chances to clinch victory but neither could score the decisive third goal.
Campaign over political background
Iran’s seventh World Cup has come under unusual circumstances.After war broke out between Iran, the US and Israel on February 28, the Iranian federation even requested FIFA to move its group stage matches outside the US. This request was denied, forcing the team to adapt their plans.Team Melli has moved its base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico and is only flying in the US for matches before returning shortly afterwards.Captain Mehdi Treimi admitted before the tournament that the World Cup had robbed it of much of the joy usually associated with football.The atmosphere around Sophie Stadium reflects these tensions. While several hundred Iranian-Americans protested against the government outside the venue, some supporters inside turned away during the national anthem. Once the match began, however, the overwhelming majority stood behind the players.
Historical point for all whites
The draw proved to be another memorable milestone for New Zealand.Ranked 85th in the world and the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, the All Whites have matched the total number of goals scored in each of their last two World Cup campaigns.Meanwhile, Iran, ranked 20th and appearing in their fourth consecutive World Cup, avoided defeat but remain in search of success beyond the group stage.
