All Whites v Iran: World media reacts to draw at the Fifa World Cup in Los Angeles
How the world’s media reacted to the All Whites’ 2-2 draw with Iran in Los Angeles.
‘How about that, then?’
Ben Fisher, the Guardian
Iran, all in white against the All Whites, made a fast start but trailed on seven minutes when Just juggled the ball in the box and wellied it past Alireza Beiranvand.
It was a fine move that stemmed from Wood controlling on his chest a long kick downfield by the Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
Wood and Just then combined in the box, the latter taking the ball away from Ali Nemati with his left boot and then smacking in with the laces of his right.
A loose contest meant plenty of openings. Shahriar Moghanloo made, surely, a goal-saving block, taking the ball off the toes of Wood after the Nottingham Forest striker wound up a shot and Taremi cracked an effort against the post after soaring to the edge of the 18-yard box from inside his own half.
Iran levelled when Rezaeian poked in, the 36-year-old rewarded for burning towards goal after sending a delightful pass infield with the outside of his right foot.
Saman Ghoddos’s first-time pass into Moghanloo was sumptuous and while Moghanloo couldn’t convert, Rezaeian ghosted past Michael Boxall to send his shot past Crocombe.
It always felt unlikely the goals would stop there and Just scored his and his country’s second 10 minutes into the second half.
He again dovetailed with Wood and while Wood screamed for the Motherwell striker to square, he coolly dinked the ball over Beiranvand. New Zealand again failed to hold on to their lead, Mohebbi heading in via a post nine minutes later after finding himself unmarked between centre-backs Boxall and Finn Surman.
Mohebbi celebrated by putting his hands out as if to say: Well, how about that, then? That feeling was shared at the final whistle.
‘Impressive’ performance from New Zealand
Laurie Whitwell, Henry Bushnell and Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic
Iran’s World Cup opener against New Zealand on Monday was much anticipated for political reasons, but for 90 minutes here at SoFi Stadium, it was most notable as a fantastic football match.
Iran, whose preparations for the tournament have been clouded by war and travel difficulties, came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw.
New Zealand, the third-lowest-ranked team at the tournament, was impressive.
But the Iranians, spurred on by a near-sellout crowd of 70,108, played with passion and fought back in both halves.
The draw – the fourth of four at the World Cup on Monday, the first time there have been so many since the very same day of 1958 – leaves both teams level with Egypt and Belgium on one point in Group G.
‘A fun contest"
Jordan Mendoza and Nancy Armour, USA Today
The second Group G match of the 2026 World Cup was unlike any other in the tournament.
Iran and New Zealand met at SoFi Stadium on Monday, June 15, with the contest will be in the backdrop of the political turmoil between Iran and the US.
It is Iran’s first match in the country since the war with the US began, and even though there’s a framework deal to end the conflict, tension remains after the issues Iran faced prior to the start of the tournament.
While there are plenty off-the-field storylines, it was a fun contest.
‘A flying start’
Adam Millington, BBC Sport
Iran twice came from behind in Los Angeles as they denied New Zealand a first win at a World Cup.
Motherwell forward Elijah Just gave New Zealand a flying start as he thumped home a half volley after Chris Wood held up the ball and knocked it into his path.
New Zealand continued to show promise but, as has already often been the case at this World Cup, the first hydration break midway through the first half proved costly as the momentum swung and Iran found a way to level when Ramin Rezaeian flicked the ball past Max Crocombe.
Before their leveller, Iran’s star forward Mehdi Taremi had come close to finding an equaliser when he struck the post with an powerful drive from outside the box. After making it 1-1, Iran also had a goal ruled out for offside.
New Zealand took a while to get going in the second half but Just popped up once more to put his side back in front as he combined with Wood again and lofted the ball over Alireza Beiranvand.
But Iran found a way to restore parity when Mohammad Mohebbi met Rezaeian’s cross and guided a header in off the inside of the post.
‘A pulsating game’
Isabel Baldwin, Daily Mail
A pulsating game in Los Angeles finishes with a point apiece.
Elijah Just appeared to have locked up New Zealand’s historic victory on the World Cup stage with a stunning brace.
But resilient Iran roared back each time with Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi’s strikes snatching a point for Team Melli.
‘The stuff that dreams are made of’
Michael Burgess, NZ Herald
So how exactly do you begin to explain this?
It might have been the greatest Fifa World Cup match the All Whites have ever played. It was certainly the best from an attacking point of view, with two unbelievably brilliant goals from midfielder Elijah Just amid some sumptuous attacking play.
At times it was the stuff that dreams are made of, the stuff that would have the boys of 1982 and 2010 on their feet and bursting with pride.
But equally, this was the one that got away. In a big way. Twice New Zealand had the lead and twice they let it go. Both goals were relatively poor concessions – especially at this level.
It meant that the All Whites ended with a 2-2 result against Iran, when it seemed like they were headed for their first ever victory at this level.
‘A slugfest’
David Scott, the Sun
The Iranians will be seeing Kiwi midfielder Elijah Just and forward Chris Wood in their nightmares after the duo completed a nearly flawless game.
Together they combined for a brace with Just scoring in the seventh and 54th minute, both times on assists from Wood.
But the effort wasn’t enough to bury the relentless Iranians.
Iran were able to get the ball in the net thanks to a lovely follow-up from defender Ramin Rezaeian on a blocked shot in the 32nd minute.
And they drew level in the 64th minute on a stellar cross from Rezaeian headed into the goal by midfielder Mohammad Mohebi.
It was a slugfest from then until the final minute, but neither side was able to convert the winning goal, ending the match in a draw.
No ‘hostile reaction’ for Iranians
James Ducker, the Telegraph
Iranian supporters defied a Fifa ban to smuggle pre-revolutionary flags into the SoFi Stadium in protest at the country’s oppressive regime.
But talk of the Iran team coming in for a hostile reaction was quickly dispelled as fans threw their support behind the players during an entertaining 2-2 draw against New Zealand.
Iran twice came from behind to equalise on a night when supporters roared on their country and took part in Mexican waves despite plenty in the crowd of 70,108 brandishing anti-Iranian regime flags.
All Whites not ‘rattled’ by pro-Iran crowd
Iliana Limón Romero, LA Times
The Iranian national team finally got to just play soccer.
Their journey to the World Cup has been uniquely fraught, with a war erupting between the host of their matches and their home country.
They had to relocate their base camp from Arizona to Tijuana, struggled to get all of their traveling party into the United States amid visa scrutiny and absorbed President Trump’s suggestion they may not be safe if they chose to play in the World Cup.
With the focus shifted solely to soccer, Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand in front of an announced crowd of 70,108 Monday night at SoFi Stadium may have felt like a victory because of the sheer fight it took for Team Melli to play in Inglewood.
After Belgium and Egypt tied 1-1 earlier Monday, all the teams in Group G are tied at one point apiece.
The All Whites showed no signs they were rattled by the pro-Iran crowd or their standing 65 slots behind Iran in Fifa world rankings.
Iran fell behind twice, but the team rallied to avoid plummeting to the bottom of their group.
A flurry of chances generated by both teams during stoppage time never translated into a winning goal.
Go all in to unlock every Fifa World Cup 2026 match with a TVNZ+ Event Pass.