What, really, were the emotions flowing through the veins of Iran’s players as they took the pitch in Los Angeles? A few hours earlier, Donald Trump, in France before the G7 summit, said a peace deal had been signed. A penny for the thoughts, too, of the Fifa president up in the VIP seats, Gianni Infantino, who in effect admitted he was powerless to prevent Iran from the chaos that has overshadowed their participation.
Finally, then, for 101 minutes against New Zealand at least, Iran’s players were able to focus on the football, just as their head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, vowed they would. Goals from Mohammad Mohebbi and Ramin Rezaeian cancelled out a smart Elijah Just double. The cue of a partisan crowd provided the kind of joy Iran captain Mehdi Taremi conceded had been missing in recent months.
Iran twice came from behind to claim a draw in their World Cup opener with New Zealand. The match was played under the shadow of political events, but the players showed resilience and determination. The draw gives Iran a valuable point in Group B, with tough matches ahead.
