Two teams, two stars, and one loud opening statement for Group G. Iran and New Zealand split the points 2-2 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with 70,108 in attendance. The World Cup crowd got a show built around two standout individual displays. Ramin Rezaeian drove Iran’s best moments, while Elijah Just answered with a brace for the All Whites.

Rezaeian’s output and Just’s finishing set the tone. Both sides scored once in each half, and both relied on those headline acts to get there. Sofascore captured it clearly on the match page, and the numbers tell a clean story of influence on both ends of the pitch.

Rezaeian’s all-action performance

Ramin Rezaeian delivered a complete outing, blending end product with consistent creation. He scored one goal and set up another, directly involved in both of Iran’s goals in the 2-2 draw. On the ball, he produced three key passes, which kept New Zealand’s back line occupied whenever Iran progressed.

Off the ball, he was just as sharp. Rezaeian won seven ground duels, a mark that underlines how often he won territorial battles and kept attacks alive. That two-way impact fed into a match-high Sofascore Rating of 9.3. It is the kind of number fans notice, and for good reason. When one player carries goal threat, chance creation, and duel dominance in the same game, it tends to tilt the flow toward his team, even if the points are shared.

Elijah Just’s clinical reply

Elijah Just carried New Zealand’s scoring load with two goals. His shot profile came with 0.31 expected goals, so turning that into a brace speaks to sharp finishing. He also added one key pass, showing he could play provider when needed.

In possession, Just kept moves tidy with 85% accurate passes. That control, paired with decisive moments in front of goal, earned him a 9.0 Sofascore Rating. When the game asked for efficiency, he supplied it. New Zealand needed someone to convert pressure into goals, and Just answered every time the chance arrived. In a tight World Cup group opener, that contribution is the difference between chasing the game and staying level.

The World Cup stage in LA

Group G opened in a lively setting at SoFi Stadium, where the match was handled by referee César Ramos Palazuelos. The stadium’s capacity listed at 70,242 was nearly filled, and the energy matched the occasion. The scoreboard moved in both halves, and the officials added six minutes of first-half stoppage time and five more in the second.

From a neutral view, this was proper World Cup football. Each team found answers after setbacks, and the game never settled into a slow rhythm. Iran showed quality in combination play, and New Zealand found clarity through its finisher. For a Round 1 fixture, this had a bit of everything fans tune in for. As openers go, it laid out the stakes for the rest of Group G.