Iran twice come from behind to claim draw in World Cup opener with New Zealand

During 101 minutes of action in Los Angeles, Iran were finally able to focus on football. The buildup had been unprecedented, messy and chaotic. But then, in the aftermath of an entertaining draw with New Zealand, Iran’s captain, Mehdi Taremi, described their World Cup as a “disaster”, explaining how the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, went into their dressing room to hear their concerns. The head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, labelled them the “most oppressed” team at the tournament after being forced to return to Mexico after the game. A charter flight from LAX was scheduled for 11pm local time.

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