Iran's Shoja Khalilzadeh embraced New Zealand's Max Crocombe after the full-time whistle in the teams' opening World Cup Group G match in Los Angeles. Iran twice came from behind to claim a draw in their World Cup opener with New Zealand.
What emotions flowed through Iran's players as they took to the pitch in Los Angeles? A few hours earlier, Donald Trump, in France before the G7 summit, said a peace deal had been signed. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, watching from the VIP seats, admitted he was powerless to prevent the chaos that overshadowed Iran's participation.
For 101 minutes against New Zealand, Iran's players focused on football, as coach Amir Ghalenoei vowed. Goals from Mohammad Mohebbi and Ramin Rezaeian canceled out a double from Eli Just. The partisan crowd provided joy that Iran captain Mehdi Taremi said had been missing in recent months.
With Hollywood hills visible from the stadium, Iran did not seem bogged down by political baggage. This was arguably the most politically supercharged sporting event in history, given the hurdles Iran overcame to play in the US. Eleven Iran officials were refused entry, forcing the team to relocate from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.
Iranian politics and infighting added to the volatility. Hundreds of thousands of Iranian-Americans live in "Tehrangeles," many fleeing persecution. Some protesters outside the stadium carried messages against the Islamic Republic, calling the regime terrorists.
Protestors carried the pre-revolutionary flag of Iran and sold merchandise with the sun and lion emblem. A FIFA ban on such flags was upheld by a judge, but several fans brought them into the ground unchallenged.
Inside the stadium, support for Iran was overwhelmingly positive. Unlike in their opening game in Qatar four years ago, Iran sang the national anthem. Iran made a fast start but trailed on seven minutes when Just juggled the ball and scored. Wood and Just combined, with Just taking the ball away from Ali Nemati and smashing it in.
Shahriar Moghanloo made a goal-saving block against Wood, and Taremi hit the post. Iran leveled when Rezaeian poked in after a delightful pass from Ghoddos. Just scored his second 10 minutes into the second half, dinking the ball over Beiranvand. But Mohebbi headed in nine minutes later, celebrating with his hands out as if to say, "How about that?"
