California. Iran opened its politically charged World Cup campaign with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand on Monday night, overcoming two deficits and getting the equalizer from Mohammad Mohebbi in the 64th minute.

Ramin Rezaeian scored Iran’s first goal and assisted on Mohebbi’s equalizer for the Iranians, whose World Cup preparations have been disrupted since the US and Israel went to war with Iran on Feb. 28. Iran ultimately decided to compete after FIFA rejected its request to move its three group-stage matches out of the United States.

Iran relocated its tournament training base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, with the team flying into the US the day before each match before quickly returning to Mexico. Captain Mehdi Taremi acknowledged this World Cup has been a difficult experience, lacking much of the joy soccer usually brings to him and his teammates.

Team Melli opened the tournament before a large pro-Iranian crowd at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, home to the world’s largest Iranian population outside Iran. While several hundred Iranian Americans protested the government outside the stadium, many fans from the diaspora jeered and turned their backs during the national anthem. Most, however, appeared to support the Iranian players once the match began.

Elijah Just scored early in each half for New Zealand, but Iran responded twice to deny the All Whites what would have been their first World Cup victory. New Zealand still matched its total goal output from its previous two World Cup appearances combined while earning an impressive result against a team ranked 65 places higher in FIFA’s rankings.

After a raucous pregame atmosphere, New Zealand stunned the crowd in the seventh minute when captain Chris Wood intercepted a goal kick and helped set up Just, who volleyed home through traffic.

Iran settled into the match and equalized in the 32nd minute when Rezaeian chipped a shot into the net with the outside of his boot.

Just struck again in the 54th minute after Wood held up play and found him for a shot through traffic.

Iran equalized once more in the 64th minute when Rezaeian delivered a precise long pass onto the head of Mohebbi. Both teams created chances afterward but failed to find a winner.

Players from both teams embraced and exchanged handshakes after the final whistle, with at least one jersey swap taking place. While Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei sat alone in the dugout, his players gathered and applauded their flag-waving supporters around the stadium.

Iran, ranked 20th in the world, is making its seventh World Cup appearance, including a fourth straight. Team Melli has never advanced beyond the group stage.

New Zealand qualified for its first World Cup since 2010 despite entering the tournament as the lowest-ranked team in the field at No. 85. The All Whites secured the Oceania Football Confederation’s first automatic World Cup berth after the tournament expanded to 48 teams.

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