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In a game that featured quality goals and plenty of emotion, New Zealand and Iran played to a very entertaining 2-2 draw on Monday night at Los Angeles Stadium.
New Zealand took the lead twice through a stellar combination of Chris Wood and Elijah Just, but Iran was able to respond well twice with Ramin Rezaeian scoring and assisting in an inspired effort.
Here are my four takeaways from the match:
1. Wood And Just Were Remarkable
Iran controlled the game early and then again after the first half hydration break, but it was Chris Wood who gave New Zealand hope throughout the game. Wood is widely regarded as his country’s best-ever player, as he leads the national team with 45 goals and 90 appearances. His experience dates back to playing as a teenager at the 2010 World Cup.
Wood, 34, is still playing at a very high level, having scored nine goals in World Cup qualifying, and he is just one year removed from scoring 20 goals in the 2024-25 Premier League season with Nottingham Forest.
In this game, New Zealand’s plan demanded that Wood not just be a goal-scoring threat, but also be very effective with his hold-up play. This is what kept New Zealand in the game. New Zealand had to play with most of its players sitting deep to defend. The Kiwis were able to generate offense by getting the ball up the field to Wood, having him hold up the ball while his teammates moved from defensive positions and into the attack.
While Elijah Just scored both goals, it was Wood’s effort on both plays that made it all possible.
Wood was extremely strong with his hold-up play, and he was the most important reason why New Zealand’s attack was so effective.
That should not downplay the accomplishments of Just. The 26-year-old right-winger is coming off a great season with Motherwell in Scotland, where he was one of four finalists nominated for the PFA Scotland’s Premiership player of the year award.
Just was great with his runs into the box and playing off the hold-up passes from Wood.
2. Iran’s Domestic Players Overcome Obstacles
There is no escaping the reality of world events, such as the wars in Iran and in the Middle East, obviously impacting this Iran squad significantly. The team has taken some steps to deal with this, namely moving its headquarters from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.
One on-pitch impact of those conflicts was the suspension of Iran’s domestic league at the end of February. With 17 players on the team’s 26-man World Cup roster based with Iranian clubs, there were a lot of questions about whether Iran would be prepared and in-form for the tournament.
But Iran’s domestic squad played inspired soccer, and no one more than Ramin Rezaeian, who scored the first equalizer with an outstanding individual play. The 36-year-old fullback played Shahriar Moghanlou into the box and kept moving into it. Moghanlou had an attempt on goal, but the ball then fell back to Rezaeian for the score.
On Iran’s second goal, Razaeian sent in a perfect delivery to set up Mohammad Mohebi for the second equalizer. Rezaeian plays for Esteghlal and is among the national team players in Iran who haven’t played much soccer in recent months but were likely motivated by the adversity.
Iran was also given a huge boost by having this game in Los Angeles, which is the home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran. There are approximately 230,000 Iranians living in the greater Los Angeles area, and the crowd was significantly behind the team.
3. Hydration Breaks Changed Momentum
There was a lot of talk about how hydration breaks would affect the flow of games at this World Cup. It is a very different concept in the sport that has effects far beyond letting players get drinks to cool down. It allows teams to regroup, change tactics, refocus, and it also deflates momentum. Teams no longer have to play through their problems in the early parts of each half. Instead, they can play for the hydration break.
In the first half, the hydration break changed everything. After Iran started off on the front foot, New Zealand then began to have the better of chances up to the break. Then after the break, New Zealand’s momentum was gone. Iran changed its approach, was once again the better team and scored the first equalizer in that momentum shift.
In the second half, New Zealand benefited from the break. In the minutes before, Iran looked on the verge of moving ahead for good, as New Zealand’s defense looked set to collapse. But the break allowed New Zealand head coach Darren Bazeley to make adjustments and give his players a break. For the remainder of the game, New Zealand’s defense was far more organized and were able to limit Iran’s chances.
4. Difficult Path For Either To Advance
Before the tournament, it was expected that Belgium and Egypt would be the top-2 teams in the group while New Zealand and Iran would push for third place. With Egypt and Belgium playing to a 1-1 draw earlier in the team, all four teams now have one point.
It was an exciting and well-played game, but the lack of a winner still makes it very difficult for these teams to advance. One of these teams will finish inside the top three, but without a win, it is unlikely either will be one of the eight third-place teams that will move on.
Both teams must get back to the drawing board and find a way to pull off an upset against an even better opponent. Iran plays Belgium next while New Zealand takes on Egypt. Neither Iran nor New Zealand have ever advanced to the knockout stages at the FIFA World Cup. It is not out of the question if it happens in 2026, but it is now going to take something special.
