Fifa World Cup: Epic upset now needed against Egypt or Belgium for plucky All Whites to achieve playoffs dream

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

The All Whites celebrate one of Eli Just’s two goals in a 2-2 World Cup Group G draw with Iran in Los Angeles.

At Los Angeles Stadium (Group G): New Zealand 2 (Eli Just 7’, 54’) Iran 2 (Ramin Rezaeian 32’, Mohammad Mohebi 64’). HT: 1-1.

ANALYSIS: Amid the euphoria of Eli Just’s beautiful brace for a fourth consecutive World Cup draw - 16 years apart - dawned the sinking reality that the All Whites’ best chance of a first knockout round place is probably gone.

Chris Wood’s team jointly top Group G after a pulsating 2-2 draw with Iran at Los Angeles Stadium on Tuesday, but tougher rivals await in Egypt and Belgium.

Coach Darren Bazeley summed up the swirling mixed emotions after the final whistle. He told a TV interviewer he was proud of the performance, “but we’ve come off disappointed at not winning the game because we led twice, scored two great goals…

“So it’s going to hurt a little bit because we had a chance to make history tonight and win a game at a World Cup… and we came really close.”

The gaffer, his ball-watching defenders and legions of All Whites fans - old and new - will have disturbing nightmare images of Ramin Rezaeian’s tantalising right wing cross for Mohammad Mohebi’s free header equaliser in the fateful 64th minute.

Until then, the All Whites had been on the brink of arguably the best result in the history of New Zealand team sport - almost certainly the most impactful.

A wide view of Ramin Rezaeian (23) scoring Iran’s first goal past New Zealand goalkeeper Max Crocombe.

Wood seized Just’s shirt front in sheer joy after the midfield maestro’s stylish volleyed seventh minute opener.

The pair combined to complete Just’s equally emphatic double in the 54th minute, and five million folk watching the game that stopped a small Pacific nation dared to dream of a debut victory.

Kiwis expect their sporting heroes to have a crack - something the All Whites failed to do in their last World Cup outing in South Africa in 2010 when they shut up shop for a scoreless draw with Paraguay when a playoffs place went begging.

But Bazeley’s band certainly had a right royal stab - from Just’s early strike to a late header attempt from Wood.

Disappointment over the defensive lapses for Rezaeian’s first equaliser and Mohebi’s killer blow aside, this was an All Whites performance to savour against an Asian powerhouse 65 places further up Fifa’s rankings totem.

Wood and his pals - with twice as many shots on target (eight to Iran’s four) - were comfortable on the ball and positive in transition as they belied their tournament-low 85th place ranking.

The end-to-end action at a world-class stadium with its teetering tiered stands holding almost 70,000 fans was as riveting as any other World Cup encounter.

Both Kiwi goals were classy.

Wood latched onto keeper Max Crocombe’s long clearance, laid off to Just who bumped off a defender then played a one-two with Sarpreet Singh before crashing a shot home off his less-favoured right foot.

He was right on from the right-side again for his second, with Wood again the initial provider.

The double caps an unbelievable year for Just, a Scottish Premier League team of the year selection in his first season at Motherwell. Bigger league scouts will surely be hovering.

All Whites captain Chris Wood battles for the ball with Iran’s first goalscorer Ramin Rezaeian.

Singh, with his silky touches and pesky pressing, also thrust himself into the shop window, as did anchormen Joe Bell and Marko Stamenić, both tireless in midfield and resolute in cover defence.

Centreback Finn Surman was superb, by and large, against Iran skipper Mehdi Taremi, backing up his strong performance against England.

This was also the moment - the first hour especially - when Wood confirmed himself on the world’s biggest stage, 16 long years after his World Cup bow as a wet-behind-the-ears teen.

The proven Premier League performer enjoyed acres of space in the first spell and constantly troubled Iran with his power and deft take-downs.

His was as imperious a captain’s display as Ryan Nelsen’s defensive masterclass in the career-defining 1-1 draw with Italy in 2010.

Wood, ever the pro and pragmatist, will know that to advance the All Whites must now produce an upset eclipsing Cape Verde’s draw with Spain. Three points from draws may not be enough.

That will be a tall order against Mo Salah and Omar Marmoush of Egypt on Monday (NZT), or Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne and Jérémy Doku the following Saturday, but if the All Whites can eliminate the concentration errors on defence and convert more of the great chances created against Iran, the dream is not yet dead and buried.

Whatever the ultimate outcome, one thing is certain: Wood and his Class of 2026 have proved for good that the All Whites are no longer making up the numbers at World Cup finals.