New Zealand and Iran shared a 2-2 World Cup draw in Los Angeles, with both teams twice changing momentum. Elijah Just struck two composed finishes for the All Whites, while Ramin Rezaeian produced a goal and an assist as Group G’s top spot stayed open after Belgium’s 1-1 stalemate with Egypt earlier on Monday.

The match turned into one of the tournament’s liveliest contests, despite both sides arriving with modest attacking records. Iran faced the lowest-ranked team at this World Cup, yet could not turn dominance into victory. New Zealand, without a World Cup win in six previous games, resisted late pressure and collected a valuable point.

Pre-match numbers suggested a cagey night in Inglewood. Iran entered with the lowest goals-per-game rate among nations to play at least 15 World Cup matches, averaging 0.72. New Zealand’s struggle was different, with only Honduras, on nine, and Egypt, on seven, enduring more games without a win than the All Whites’ six.

The early exchanges defied those expectations. New Zealand matched their entire 2010 World Cup tally for shots on target within 30 minutes, registering three efforts. That previous tournament was their last appearance on this stage. Iran, known for control and structure, were instead pulled into an open, end-to-end contest that kept the Los Angeles crowd involved.

Iran started aggressively, with Arya Yousefi drawing a save from Max Crocombe, but New Zealand struck first in the seventh minute. Chris Wood brought down a long clearance with expert control, continued the run, then set up Just, who juggled the ball and crashed a shot into the top of the net.

Mehdi Taremi almost levelled soon after when a bending shot hit the post, with New Zealand’s defenders retreating towards the area’s edge. Pressure finally told on 32 minutes. A neat sequence ended with Shahriyar Moghanlou denied by Finn Surman’s last-ditch tackle, yet Rezaeian reacted quickest, guiding an outside-of-the-boot finish beyond Crocombe.

Iran thought the turnaround was complete in first-half stoppage time. Ali Nemati headed in a Rezaeian free-kick, only for the assistant’s flag to rule the effort out for offside. That let-off energised New Zealand after the break, and Just punished Iran again nine minutes into the second half with another sharp combination with Wood.

Wood fed Just with a give-and-go on the edge of the box, and the forward slotted into the far corner. However, that second New Zealand lead vanished within 10 minutes. Rezaeian bent a precise cross from the right, and Mohammad Mohebbi’s glancing header bounced off the post and over the line.

From that stage, Ardeshir Ghalenoei’s Iran appeared the stronger side, pushing for a decisive third goal against a tiring defence. Substitute Ryan Thomas produced a crucial late clearance inside the box, preserving New Zealand’s point as both teams accepted a draw that kept Group G delicately balanced.

Wood’s display placed the Nottingham Forest striker in select company. Across the last three World Cups, only Ivan Perisic, assisting Andrej Kramaric for Croatia against Canada, and Joao Felix, supplying Goncalo Ramos for Portugal versus Switzerland in 2022, had provided multiple assists for the same team-mate in one match.

Rezaeian’s contribution ensured Iran did not leave Los Angeles empty-handed and created fresh optimism despite missed chances. New Zealand’s disciplined response, plus standout performances from Just and Wood, underlined that the lowest-ranked side can still influence this World Cup group, leaving qualification finely poised after the draw.