LOS ANGELES: Iran fought back twice to secure a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their opening Group G match of the FIFA World Cup on Monday, while European champions Spain were held to a shock goalless draw by tournament debutants Cape Verde.
Playing under intense international scrutiny following months of uncertainty over their World Cup participation amid the Middle East conflict, Iran earned a valuable point at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles before a crowd of more than 70,000 spectators.
New Zealand took the lead twice through Elijah Just, who scored once in each half, but Iran responded on both occasions. Ramin Rezaeian equalized after the first New Zealand goal before Mohammad Mohebbi struck later in the match to secure a 2-2 draw.
The build-up to the match was overshadowed by diplomatic tensions between Iran and the United States, with Iranian officials facing visa restrictions and the team’s training base moved from Arizona to Mexico ahead of the tournament.
In another major result, Spain suffered an unexpected setback after being held 0-0 by Cape Verde in Group H. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities, the European champions failed to break down a resilient Cape Verde defense.
The result marked a historic achievement for Cape Verde, making its first appearance at a FIFA World Cup. Goalkeeper Vozinha delivered a standout performance, producing a series of crucial saves to frustrate the Spanish attack.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente played down concerns after the draw, expressing confidence that his side remains capable of advancing deep into the tournament.
Elsewhere, Belgium recovered from a first-half deficit to draw 1-1 with Egypt in Seattle. Egypt took the lead through Emam Ashour before Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku helped force an own goal by Mohamed Hany to level the score in the second half.
In Miami, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay also shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Abdulelah Al-Amri put Saudi Arabia ahead before Maxi Araujo scored a late equalizer to rescue a point for the two-time world champions.
The opening round of group-stage matches delivered several surprise results, with pre-tournament favorites Spain and Uruguay failing to secure victories, while newcomers Cape Verde produced one of the tournament’s biggest shocks so far.