Ramin Rezaeian Scores 32nd-Minute Equaliser for Iran
Ramin Rezaeian scored Iran's equaliser against New Zealand in the 32nd minute on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, turning a loose ball inside the box into a 1-1 scoreline in a FIFA World Cup 2026 match. The 36-year-old right-back, who plays club football for Esteghlal, added his ninth international goal.
Rezaeian's 32nd-Minute Finish
Rezaeian pounced on a loose ball and poked it into the goal, then celebrated by pulling the front of his jersey over his face. The finish came against New Zealand after he had already built a World Cup record that now includes two previous tournaments and a goal against Wales in 2022.
Iran's World Cup Equaliser
The goal moved the match to 1-1 and gave Iran a response in a game that was still open after the equaliser. For Iran, the scorer matters as much as the timing: a right-back delivered the equaliser in a World Cup match, and Rezaeian did it from the kind of position defenders rarely turn into a scoring chance.
His club path also explains why the goal stood out. Rezaeian has represented Esteghlal, Persepolis and Sepahan, while his international scoring record now sits at nine. That combination of defensive role and repeated output in major matches has made his name a recurring one in Iran's World Cup moments.
June 16, 2026 Match Impact
The immediate result for Iran was simple: the match was level after Rezaeian's strike. The next stage of the game now rested on whether Iran could turn that equaliser into a stronger position in its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, with the defender's latest goal adding another entry to his record at the tournament.
