Iran’s hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time remain alive after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Egypt in Seattle.
The match ended in heartbreak for Iran after Shoja Khalilzadeh’s late goal was ruled out for offside following a lengthy VAR review. Minutes later, Saeid Ezatolahi headed against the crossbar in stoppage time, denying Iran a crucial victory.
Egypt took the lead in the fifth minute through Mahmoud Saber, whose low strike found the net through a crowded penalty area. Iran responded quickly despite Mehdi Taremi seeing his penalty saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
Ramin Rezaeian eventually equalised, smashing home the rebound from a tight angle to level the score before halftime.
Egypt, who had already secured qualification after Belgium defeated New Zealand earlier in the day, finished second in Group G. Captain Mohamed Salah was substituted after 57 minutes, missing the chance to equal Hossam Hassan’s all-time Egypt scoring record.
Iran finished the group stage with three draws from three matches. Their chances of progressing now depend on results involving third-placed teams in Groups J, K and L.
The draw came as Iran continue their World Cup campaign under strict travel restrictions linked to ongoing tensions with the United States, making their fight for a historic knockout spot even more challenging.
