Tractor Sazi · Asian Cup · Defender · #3 · Iran · 36 yrs
An Iranian fan rushed the field in celebration, necessitating seven security guards to successfully bring him down. Shoja Khalilzadeh ripped his jersey off before being mobbed by the entire Iran team after he fired a shot past Egypt goalie Mostafa Shobeir in the 93rd minute to seemingly give his side a 2-1 lead on Friday night in Seattle.
Iran waiting to see if they are through to last 32Salah injury fears played down after 1-1 drawIran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, has said Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, must “stand up” to the US after reiterating his belief that the co-hosts have treated his team “very unfairly”.Iran will qualify for the World Cup knockout stage for the first time if results go their way in the next 24 hours, but after a dramatic draw against Egypt in Seattle, in which Shoja Khalilzadeh had a stoppage-time winner ruled offside and Saeid Ezatolah headed against the bar, they were left frustrated with more than just the result. Continue reading...
For a brief moment, it looked as if Iran had snatched a dramatic stoppage time winner against Egypt to secure their first ever berth in the FIFA World Cup knockout round. Iranian centerback Shoja Khalilzadeh pounced on a rebound off a free kick, with Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobier out of his goal and in a […]
Egypt 1-1 Iran: Iran defender Shojae Khalilzadeh’s stoppage-time winner was disallowed by VAR, denying the war-torn nation a guaranteed spot in the knockout stages. Egypt are through; Iran must now wait
Egypt 1-1 Iran: Iran defender Shojae Khalilzadeh’s stoppage-time winner was disallowed by VAR, denying the war-torn nation a guaranteed spot in the knockout stages. Egypt are through; Iran must now wait
“After review,” began the Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, those two words breaking the hearts of Iran after they thought they scrambled an unlikely 93rd-minute winner. Moments earlier, the 37-year-old Shoja Khalilzadeh fired in from the edge of the six-yard box, whipped off his No 4 shirt in double-quick time and slid on to his knees before being mobbed by his teammates and nestled at the bottom of a pile-on. One member of Iran’s backroom team collapsed onto his back on the turf amid the delirium. Another planted a kiss on Khalilzadeh’s forehead before the defender donned a pair of sunglasses given to him by one of the many substitutes who had swiftly emptied on to the pitch.But the joy was short-lived, Marciniak playing party-pooper after a VAR review showed Khalilzadeh offside after Mostafa Shobeir rushed from his goal to punch clear the free-kick from which Iran thought they had snatched victory. And the late drama did not stop there either. Seventeen seconds after the minimum of six minutes of second-half stoppage time, Yasser Ibrahim made a monumental block to repel Ramin Rezaeian’s shot after the ball squirted free and then six minutes and 53 seconds into added time Iran’s Saeid Ezatolahi sent a header against the crossbar. Shoubir, who was magnificent in the Egypt goal, moved his hands towards the ball but was beaten. Continue reading...
The confirmed lineups of the 2026 World Cup Group H match Egypt vs Iran with the expectation to see Mo Salah. Everything remains open in 2026 World Cup Group G before the final matchday, as Egypt and Iran both aim to reach the next round, with Mohamed Salah ready to start for Egypt. The situation makes the match even more intriguing. Egypt are in a stronger position after drawing with Belgium and defeating New Zealand, while Iran remain in contention after drawing both of their matches in the tournament. With such a tight race, Egypt lead the group with four points. Iran are second with two points and a goal difference of 0, sitting above Belgium on goals scored. New Zealand are bottom of the group with one point. Egypt vs Iran lineups For this match, Hossam Hassan could use this lineup for Egypt: Shobeir; Hany, Rabia, Abdelmonem, Fatouh, Ashour, Ziko, Saber, Lasheen, Trezeguet and Salah. Manager Amir Ghalenoei could opt for this lineup for Iran: Beiranvand; Rezaeian, Kanani, Khalilzadeh, Nemati, Mohammadi, Ghoddos, Ghorbani, Ezatolahi, Mohebbi and Taremi. Possible next matches While not every spot in the knockout stage has been filled, some matchups are already set. The winner of Group G will face a third-placed team, although their opponent has not yet been determined. Meanwhile, the runner-up already knows they will play Australia, who finished second in Group D.
Is Kevin De Bruyne starting today? Check out the confirmed official lineups for Belgium vs Iran in this crucial 2026 World Cup Group G clash. Kevin De Bruyne is officially starting and will captain Belgium today. Following intense speculation over his tactical deployment, head coach Rudi Garcia has named the Manchester City playmaker in his standard central attacking role to drive the team forward at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. With the 2026 World Cup Group G entirely up for grabs following a pair of opening-round draws, the structural setup of both teams reflects a high-stakes tactical battle. Belgium has altered their frontline to add physical reinforcement, while Iran has rolled out an extremely compact, defensive unit designed to crowd out midfield spaces and hit hard on the counter-attack. However, Rudi Garcia’s side will be without one of its main attacking threats, as Jeremy Doku has been ruled out of the match. The Manchester City winger was left out of the squad due to a recurring respiratory infection. Belgium lineup Rudi Garcia has made significant changes to the squad that labored to a 1-1 opening draw against Egypt, most notably handing Romelu Lukaku a starting spot after his dynamic second-half cameo rescued a point in Matchday 1. Thibaut Courtois lines up between the posts. The back four features Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, and Maxim De Cuyper. In the midfield, Nicolas Raskin and Alexis Saelemaekers flank Youri Tielemans to form a robust shield just behind De Bruyne. Up front, Leandro Trossard pairs with Lukaku to form a highly physical, technical attacking front line. Belgium Starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper; Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Alexis Saelemaekers, Kevin De Bruyne; Leandro Trossard, Romelu Lukaku. Iran lineup Coach Amir Ghalenoei has trusted a highly organized defensive framework to contain Belgium’s passing angles, banking on the stability that earned them a 2-2 draw with New Zealand. Alireza Beiranvand starts in goal. The back five features Saleh Hardani, Ehsan Hajisafi, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanani, and Ali Nemati, giving them a broad wall to defend the penalty area. Ramin Rezaeian takes a versatile wide position. Saeid Ezatolahi and Saman Ghoddos anchor the central lanes, freeing up Mohammad Mohebbi to link up with lone target man Mehdi Taremi in transition. Iran Starting XI: Alireza Beiranvand; Saleh Hardani, Ehsan Hajisafi, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanani, Ali Nemati, Ramin Rezaeian; Saeid Ezatolahi, Mohammad Mohebbi, Saman Ghoddos; Mehdi Taremi.
Despite Elijah Just scored a brace, Iran and New Zealand shared points in a thrilling 2-2 draw in their 2026 World Cup debut. Iran and New Zealand clashed Monday at SoFi Stadium, temporarily renamed Los Angeles Stadium, for a Matchday 1 Group G showdown at the 2026 World Cup. While Elijah Just found the back of the net twice, his heroic brace wasn’t enough to secure the first World Cup victory in All Whites history. The All Whites weathererd an early wave of Iranian dominance before striking on a high note. In the 7th minute, Chris Wood unlocked the defense by holding up a long ball and feeding his teammates, setting up Just to unleash a clinical strike and open the scoring. The early deficit rattled Iran, forcing goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand into several key saves to keep the match within reach. The breakthrough arrived in the 32nd minute when Ramin Rezaeian delivered a brilliant trivela cross; after Saman Ghoddos and Shahriyar Moghanlou battled for the ball, Rezaeian ghosted into the area to smash home the rebound and equalize. New Zealand recaptured the momentum early in the second half. In the 54th minute, Just linked up beautifully with Wood once again, orchestrating a quick combination before going one-on-one with the keeper to complete his brace. However, Rezaeian turned playmaker in the 64th minute, whipping in a remote-controlled cross that found Mohammad Mohebi’s head to level the score, and despite late chances for both sides, the deadlock held. Shoja Khalilzadeh #4 of IR Iran and Elijah Just #11 of New Zealand shakes hands after the 2-2 draw. The 2-2 draw leaves Group G completely deadlocked. With Belgium and Egypt playing to a 1-1 tie earlier Monday, Iran must now hunt for three points against the Red Devils on June 21, while the All Whites prepare for a Matchday 2 clash against the Pharaohs.
Iran and New Zealand are set to launch their 2026 World Cup runs, with viral sensation Tim Payne expected to be in the starting eleven. Iran and New Zealand are set to clash on Monday, June 15, for Matchday 1 of Group G at the 2026 World Cup inside SoFi Stadium, temporarily rebranded as Los Angeles Stadium. While both squads are desperate to secure a crucial opening result, much of the pre-game spotlight is focused on whether viral social media sensation Tim Payne will take the pitch. Payne has been included in the starting lineup for the World Cup opener against Iran. As a mainstay in the All Whites’ starting eleven at right back, Payne logged heavy minutes in New Zealand‘s final pre-tournament tune-up against England, proving he has the match fitness required for the biggest stage in soccer. New Zealand enters the tournament as a heavy underdog, a tag justified not only by their standing as the lowest-ranked nation in the 48-team field (No. 85 in the FIFA rankings) but also by their brutal recent form. Having suffered nine defeats alongside one draw and just a single victory over their last 11 outings, back-to-back friendly losses to England (1-0) and Haiti (4-0) have kept expectations low for the Oceanic side. Conversely, Iran enters the matchup as the distinct favorite, carrying plenty of momentum after dispatching Gambia 3-1 and Mali 2-0 in their final two pre-World Cup friendlies. While those opponents may be lower-tier sides, the convincing victories have allowed Team Melli to arrive in Southern California in peak competitive form. Mexican fans gathered at the Iranian national team’s hotel. While Monday marks the first time these two nations have met in a World Cup setting, it is not their first head-to-head battle. Their history dates back to a scoreless friendly draw in 1973, followed by a commanding 3-0 Iran victory in 2003 when the sides faced off in the now-defunct AFC-OFC Challenge Cup. Confirmed lineups for Iran vs New Zealand Iran’s confirmed lineup (4-4-2): Alireza Beiranvand; Ramin Rezaeian, Ali Nemati, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi; Aria Yousefi, Saman Ghoddos, Saeid Ezatolahi, Mohammad Mohebi; Shahriar Moghanlou, Mehdi Taremi.Head coach: Amir Ghalenoei. New Zealand’s confirmed lineup (4-2-3-1): Max Crocombe; Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace; Joe Bell, Marko Stamenic; Callum McCowatt, Sarpreet Singh, Eli Just; Chris Wood.Head coach: Darren Bazeley.
