Advertisement live Updated 20s ago Iran have equalised to make it 1-1 against New Zealand in the second game in Group G at the 2026 World Cup. Elijah Just fired them into the lead in the seventh minute after superb hold-up play from Chris Wood. But the opening goal was cancelled out in the 33rd minute by Ramin Rezaeian's equaliser. Fans are banned from bringing pre-revolutionary Iran flags into World Cup stadiums after a last-minute hearing upheld the ban in Los Angeles earlier today. GO FURTHER Pre-revolutionary flags spotted, anthem booed at Iran’s World Cup opener Both teams emerge from the tunnel at SoFi Stadium. Iran look to have prepared a substitute: No 10 Mehdi Ghayedi. Dozens of pre-revolutionary flags were brought into SoFi Stadium for Iran’s World Cup opener against New Zealand in defiance of FIFA’s ban. In one particularly pointed moment, a group of fans on the far side of the ground held up theirs in direct response to the enormous flag of the current Iran government being unfurled on the pitch opposite New Zealand’s as part of matchday protocols. Those supporters were left unchallenged by stewards, despite FIFA winning a court hearing enabling them to lawfully prohibit people showing the lion-and-sun flags on the grounds of them carrying a political message and potentially causing disturbances. The legal case, decided at an emergency hearing in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday morning, was brought by an Iranian fan who said FIFA’s block impinged freedom of speech, but the judge rejected that argument. Read more below. GO FURTHER Pre-revolutionary flags spotted, anthem booed at Iran’s World Cup opener It's thirsty work out there in an entertaining contest so far! I'm not entirely convinced by this celebration from Ramin Rezaeian but maybe it has some deeper meaning. Spooky. A satisfying view of Rezaeian’s goal here, with New Zealand goalkeeper Crocombe only able to watch as the ball flew past him. A sucker punch after a bright start for
Fuente: NYT — Ver nota original
