Sarpreet Singh’s assist puts New Zealand ahead but Iran level in 1-1 World Cup draw
Elijah Just’s early finish gave New Zealand the lead in Los Angeles, but Ramin Rezaeian levelled for Iran in the 32nd minute to earn a 1-1 draw in their Group G opener.
Jun 16, 2026
New Zealand came close to their first World Cup win in 44 years, and a player with roots in Punjab set up the opening goal. Elijah Just struck inside the opening ten minutes at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday, but the All Whites were pegged back by Ramin Rezaeian’s 32nd-minute equaliser to finish 1-1 against Iran.
The pass that unlocked the game came from Sarpreet Singh, the Auckland-born midfielder whose parents emigrated from Punjab. Singh has spoken often about growing up in a Punjabi household in South Auckland, and his presence in this New Zealand side has turned the All Whites into a team plenty of Indian fans now follow. His clipped ball over the Iran defence was the moment that broke the deadlock, though New Zealand’s 44-year wait for a World Cup win went on after Iran levelled through Rezaeian.
A goal worth the wait
The opener arrived in the seventh minute and it was a well-worked one. Singh lifted a pass over the Iranian back line, captain Chris Wood took it down and laid it off first time, and Just arrived to finish from inside the box. For a team ranked 85th in the world, the lowest of the 48 sides at this World Cup, it was the kind of sharp, rehearsed move that does not happen by accident.
New Zealand had gone six matches at previous World Cups without a victory. Three defeats came in Spain in 1982, then three draws in South Africa in 2010, including the famous stalemate with defending champions Italy. This was their third appearance at the finals, and New Zealand left with their first World Cup point since 2010, though the wait for a first win continues.
Iran push and Rezaeian levels
Iran, ranked more than 50 places above New Zealand, had the better of the possession and levelled when Mehdi Taremi cut inside on a counterattack and struck an effort that cannoned back off the post, with Ramin Rezaeian reacting quickest to turn home the rebound in the 32nd minute. Darren Bazeley’s side defended in numbers through the second half but could not find a winner.
For Iran, who arrived as one of Asia’s strongest qualifiers, it was a frustrating start in a group they had been expected to navigate comfortably.
What it means for New Zealand
Wood, the Nottingham Forest striker and his country’s all-time leading scorer, has carried this team for years, and the captain admitted before kick-off that limited time together would test them. They put New Zealand ahead and looked like delivering the result that had eluded every previous squad, before Iran levelled. Bazeley now has a point and a platform in Group G that few predicted.
The Punjabi connection only adds to the story on this side of the world. Singh has been described as the first player of his heritage to grace a men’s World Cup, and his assist in New Zealand’s World Cup opener gives Indian supporters a genuine reason to keep watching Group G.